>Luckily she was able to bend out of the way, but before it got another chance, you charge
>Your shoulder connects solidly with its side and your momentum carries you with it sliding across the floor
>Hopping back up to your feet, you look back in time to see two more masses drop from the ceiling
>Celestia was already on her hooves and raised her rear legs before kicking out and sending one mass flying with an audible crack
>Before she could react, the other one grabbed her around her middle, pinning her wings
>You were on it in a moment, a choke hold around its feathered neck as you try to tear it away
>The one you tackled had since recovered and grabbed you from behind with sharp talons, screeching
>Tossing you back, it started swiping at you
>As you back pedaled, Celestia slammed her body against the one holding her and onto the ground, knocking the breath out of it
>A talon grazed your chest, shredding your shirt and causing trails of blood to appear
>Celestia was on it a moment later with a hoof to its throat on the floor
>She held it there until it passed out before taking care of the other still catching its breath
>With all of the threats taken care of, the alicorn eyed you coldly and stepped between you and her sister
>You hold your hands up in innocence,"Celestia?"
>Her expression shifts to cautious interest, "Do I know you?"
>You describe the events from the forest and realization spreads across her face
>"Anonymous!" she exclaims and hugs you with her wings
>You look beyond her plumage at her sister starting to move on the floor
"What the hell happened to you two?" You ask, trying to extract yourself from her
>Celestia looked back at her sister and walked to her, stepping between the bodies laying about
>"Tensions with the griffons have been rising the last few years..." she helped her sister stand.  "I never expected them to attack like this."
>The two of them walked back to you and you greeted Luna
>They looked the same, white with pink hair and blue with lighter blue hair, only they were much bigger now
"I mean, I was able to hold both of you in my arms last night and now you're damn near as tall as I am."
>The sisters both looked at you confused
>Celestia stepped forward.  "It's been nearly five-hundred years since that night in the forest, Anonymous.”
>"We looked for you that morning but couldn't find you," Luna added
>It was your turn to be confused
"I woke up from there back in my own bed.  That was just this morning for me."
>They regarded you contemplatively for a moment
"Well regardless, we are lucky you're here today," Celestia states
>Luna smiles.  "Indeed."
>The three of you walk out of the house and onto a bright town road
>Celestia and Luna talked to some nearby ponies, describing what had occurred and requesting if they could lock the griffons up until it could be decided what to do with them
>To your surprise to townsponies did as they were asked as you walked with the two mares
"Becoming quite the pair of royalty," you comment
>"Heavens no!"  Celestia started.  " We've merely helped these ponies along.  Clearing the forest, erecting some homes..."
"Having foreign bodies attempt to assassinate the both of you?"
>They both blush and you look back at the house you exited
>It stands clearly above the rest, in size and grandeur
"And I suppose that's your home," you gesture towards it
>"Indeed it is," Luna sighs
>"We've merely been trying to unite ponies in peace and harmony.  We don't want to- to oppress anyone," Celestia smiles warmly and nods to a pony passing by
"You can be a ruler without being oppressive," you point out.  "It's usually the sign of good rulers."
>Neither of them look convinced.  "You know, people need someone to rally behind, to support.  It brings them together, to have someone to follow."
>Speaking of following, you hadn't been paying any attention to where you were heading until now
>Celestia and Luna had led you to a small building with an older pony inside
>You noticed she didn't have wings or a horn
>"Doctor Kindheart, our friend here is hurt.  We were wondering if you would be able to help him," Celestia announces as you enter
>The older mare's brow wrinkles in surprise when she sees you
>As she walks up, the remains of your pajama top begins to glow and pulls itself off you
>A matching glow is around Celestia's horn as Kindheart places a hoof on your chest
>You wince.  "Why didn't you two use your magic on those griffons?"
>"Griffons?" the medical pony asks
>"They've been taken care of," Luna assures her
>"It appears they had thought of that. When they attacked us, they had potions which disabled our horns.  Obviously only temporarily, but enough time for their plan to go into effect."
>Kindheart had left you and returned with a bowl of water and a cloth and proceeded to clean your wounds
>Through your wincing and gritting your teeth, Celestia smiled.  "Will he live?"
>"I think so.  The scratches are not very deep," Kindheart explained, not catching on to the alicorn's wit
>When she finished cleaning you, she proceeded to wrap bandages around your torso
>Once finished, you put what remained of your top back on over your bandages and thanked the older pony
>"No problem at all," she smiled to you
>You definitely felt better as you left the small home and back out onto the road
"Thank you for bringing me to her," you say to the two ponies walking with you
>As you walk, you notice the different pictures on the hindquarters of ponies you walked by
>Looking back, you see Celestia and Luna both have their own
"What's the deal with those pictures on your butts?" you ask
>"They're cutie marks.  They appear on a pony when they discover their special talent," Luna explains
"So your special talents are the sun and the moon?"
>They both nod
>"I raise the sun and Luna raises the moon every day and every night," Celestia adds
"What do you mean you raise them?  You know they only appear to rise and fall because-" the confused looks on their faces makes you stop
>Should probably stop trying to apply Earth science to magic horse world
"Not only rulers, but demigods as well?"
>They look at you strangely and you decide to drop the subject
>You neared their home and a stallion waited for you outside of it
>"Celestia, Luna," he bowed, to the mares' discomfort. "The griffons are locked in the basement below," he stepped a hoof as if to make sure they stayed down there.  "We attempted to separate them, but there wasn't enough room.  We had to pile them together."
>"Thank you Stonehoof," Celestia told him and he bowed his head a second time before trotting off into town
"Have you thought about maybe having guards set up for you two?" you ask as you enter the large home and see the broken pieces of furniture inside
>"We have not, though given today's happenings, perhaps we should consider it," Celestia responded
"Ask for volunteers," you offer.  "Stonehoof seems like a good candidate."
>They agree and lead you to a side room away from the wrecked main foyer
>"Care for some tea?"  Celestia asks as Luna headed into the kitchen
"Sure," you didn't really care for tea, but it seemed rude to refuse
>For the next hour you talked with Celestia and Luna about their history and what their possible plans for the future were
>They repeated their goal of keeping harmony with ponies and reflected how the griffon's actions will likely force them to take a more active role
>By the time the tea was finished, the sky outside had become infused with reds, oranges and yellows
"I suppose it's almost time for you to raise the moon," you joked
>"Yes, it is," Luna said as she gazed out the nearby window with you
>You turned and looked at the two of them
>There was nothing in their expressions hinting that they were joking
"Can I watch?" You ask cautiously
>"Of course!"  Luna responded a bit overzealously
>Her quick answer caught you off guard and you looked over to Celestia smiling
>The pair led you upstairs of their home to a balcony that looked over the town
>"Being closer to the sky helps us connect with them," Celestia explained
>The way she smiled, you couldn't tell if she was being serious or messing with you
>Being a single story up couldn't make that big of a difference, not to mention they could probably fly higher
>As the two of them waited for the proper time, you looked down at the town stretching out in front of you
>There was no one on the roads, nor anyone watching this from the windows of their homes
>Your skepticism grew, but you kept your mouth shut
>The sun reached the horizon and Celestia's and Luna's horns both glowed brightly
>The two of them floated slightly off the ground as you felt the hairs on your arms stand up
>The sun then proceeded to set as the moon started to rise
>The magic in the air was palpable before the deed was done and Celestia and Luna set gently back on the deck
>They both looked to you
>A surprised "Wow," was all you could muster
>They were slightly out of breath, but their cheeks still reddened
>They led you back inside and inquired about how long you intended to stay
"Well, I seem to switch back and forth when I go to sleep, so I suppose I'll be here until I sleep next," you explained
>Celestia and Luna looked to one another.
>"Would you care to go for an expedition around town tonight?" Luna asked
>You agree and the three of you took back to the town streets
>The street lamps had already been lit as you chatted
>Looking around, you realized that there was no one else out
>"No pony comes out at night.  They all fear creatures attacking from the darkness," Luna answered you before you had a chance to ask
"I remember a small pony that was scared of monsters in the dark once too," you counter
>Luna smiles as the solitary sound of your steps fell over the three of you.
>"It's a beautiful night," Celestia commented, looking up a cloudless sky
>You agreed and the two of them proceeded to tell you about the different parts of the town and its history as you walked
>Another hour later and you found yourself back at their home
>They offered you a spare room to stay in and you said your goodbyes
>Laying down on the plush bed, you drifted off moments later