The last solstice
Chapter 42: Cleansing light
Everything was bright and shiny. She was walking through a strange white tunnel, but the walls seemed to be alive. As she moved on, she spotted several faces all around her. She blinked in utter confusion and perplexity. She had no memory of how she got here, または where was “here”. Outlandish whispers reverberated from the moving and forever changing walls, but she was unable to comprehend the meaning of the quiet words; they just swiftly glided through her brain, like fallen leaves, traveling with the autumn wind.
The familiar faces kept emerging from nowhere, only to be swallowed によって the white brightness a few 秒 later. Then the recognition struck her: she knew all of these ponies; they accompanied her along the lengthy path of her life for an evanescent moment. Yes, all the ponies she met and who came close to her ハート, 心 were there. Her students, her officers, her subjects... everypony she ever encountered and brought grace into their lives. Everypony who got consumed によって the sands of time countless years ago. They were all there around her. She clearly sensed the presence of their entities in the all-suffusing whiteness. But this whiteness wasn't cold または menacing, it radiated with pleasurable warmness, penetrating deeply into her soul. As she walked forward, the light became even brighter, that it was almost blinding. Yet some invisible force was beckoning her further and she could not resist. When she came out of the white tunnel, she realized she was walking on fluffy clouds. The Sun shone brightly on the 上, ページのトップへ of the sky, bathing her in its light. It was an idyllic picture, harmony and calmness surrounded her, wisps of refreshing breeze cuddled her senses. Then she saw the contrast. Two dark silhouettes in the distance, idly sitting によって on a giant cloud. She could clearly see their horns and wings and even though their features remained invisible; she could only see their eyes, but it was enough for her to know they meant no harm. On the contrary...
“Welcome, our child!” a soft, yet strong feminine voice called out, in unison with a deep, determined masculine voice.
“Mother? Father?” Celestia gasped in disbelief.
“After all these years... we meet again.” the two voices spoke at the same time.
“Oh, I missed あなた so!” Celestia cried in tears.
“As have we.” the two voices replied warmly.
The sun goddess galloped towards the shady figures of her parents in anticipation, but no matter how fast she ran, they remained in the same distance. A few moments later, she understood this was getting her nowhere and stopped.
“What happened to you, our child?” the voices asked. They only spoke together: the soft female voice and the strong male voice.
“I... I don't know... I think my journey has come to an end.” Celestia stuttered, lowering her head, using her sparkling mane to cover her scars.
“You have forgotten us, Celestia!” the voices declared in disappointment.
“No, I could never...”
“You have forgotten who あなた are, therefore あなた have forgotten us.” the voices continued.
“I'm not the mare I was...”
“Look deep within yourself!” the echoing voices exclaimed. “You are so much もっと見る than what you've become! あなた are our daughter, a true Princess によって blood!”
“How could I possibly change the past? What I've done... I failed you!” Celestia cried, letting her emotions flow freely this time.
“What happened at that city is not your fault. Neither is the Changeling Queen's victory.”
“I'm so tired... so very-very tired... weary of battle.” the Princess 発言しました quietly and a careworn sigh escaped her chest.
“Yes...” the voices agreed. “The weight upon your shoulders is almost unbearable and offers あなた no peace. The task would crush the spirit of a common pony, but あなた are our daughter, Celestia! あなた are destined to lead ponykind to glory!”
“I... I can't do this anymore... I'm broken... how can I fight against such blazing hatred? No... it... is... impossible.”
The two alicorn figures narrowed their eyes at the same time. Suddenly, the picture of the silhouettes with glowing eyes, the bright Sun and the fluffy clouds melted away, only to be replaced によって a series of disturbing, sinister images.
“Do あなた give up?” Celestia heard her fathers voice alone this time.
The first image showed an 林檎, アップル orchard in Ponyville, where a family of earth ponies were hugging each other, tears flowing down their cheeks, as they were waiting for the apocalypse. It was the 林檎, アップル family of course. The picture changed, 表示中 a cyan colored pegasus, holding an オレンジ filly close.... 虹 Dash and Scootaloo. Then the winged ponies grew horns, their feathers merged with their barrel and disappeared and their コート turned white. Their surroundings have changed as well. It was Rarity and Sweetie Belle in Carousel Boutique. Then the dress ショップ turned into a cottage near the Everfree Forest. There was a バター yellow pegasus, trying to calm the countless little critters around her with the help of a draconoquus: Fluttershy and Discord. After a brief moment, Celestia found herself on a rock farm, observing a ピンク ポニー with her family. There were party decorations and accessories everywhere, but the atmosphere was grim and dark.
“This isn't the end, Pinkie.” the father said, smiling warmly at her daughter.
“I know.” Pinkie Pie smiled back with tears in her eyes and hugged the old stallion.
The scenario changed again, and image of Luna appeared in front of sun goddess. Her sister was cruelly chained down in a dark dungeon, she wasn't even able to 移動する an inch. There was a magic disruptor 襟, 首輪 around her neck. Anguish and sorrow distorted her face; she was clearly suffering.
“Will あなた abandon their hope?” her mother's voice asked.
The 次 picture showed the soul of Cadence and Twilight, struggling to break free from the powerful hypnosis of the Changeling Queen. They were in agonizing pain as well. Then the image of Canterlot flashed in front of Celestia, 表示中 her subjects in their homes, doing what Chrysalis suggested them: spending their last hours with their loved ones.
“Can あなた not feel their desperation?” her mother questioned relentlessly.
The 次 image featured Chrysalis, laughing maniacally, making Cadence and Twilight watch Mirage's agony in the shrinking green sphere of magic.
“Will darkness forever rule the world?” his father's voice said.
The 次 scene of the depressive slide 表示する focused on the universe itself. Celestia saw gleaming stars on the obsidian sky; the planets, tossed out of their orbits, spinning uncontrollably, and the black Moon of the Chronos, which almost consumed the entire Sun.
“HAVE あなた FORGOTTEN?!” her father shouted vigorously.
The last act consisted of a series of 画像 from Celestia's life and all the things she's done. She saw herself discovering the 木, ツリー of Harmony with Luna, then the first defeat of Discord and King Sombra, the battle with Nightmare Moon, the journey with Starswirl the Bearded, Cadence's ascension to alicornhood, taking Twilight Sparkle under her wing, The Summer Sun Celebration, The Elements of Harmony, Twilight's ascension, even the battle with the ancient fiery demon and finally, her メリダとおそろしの森 actions that stopped the changeling attack on Canterlot Castle.
“No. I have not forgotten!” Celestia stated, furrowing a brow.
The scary 画像 vanished and she was standing on the same plushy 雲, クラウド as before, the silhouettes of her parents were there too, right beneath the fiery disk of the Sun.
“One aspect of your existence has indeed came to an end, our daughter.” her parents said, speaking together at the same time again. “Now あなた must choose a new path. あなた have attained the highest level of wisdom and awareness! あなた have mastered the solar magic that runs deep within you! あなた have protected ponykind against any aggressor for over a millenia! あなた showed nothing but kindness, compassion and understanding and created a world of peace for your subjects. あなた ruled well, our daughter. あなた have passed the test of time and nobility! あなた are worthy, our child! If あなた feel あなた are ready to 移動する to the 次 level of existence and awareness, then step forward. We will guide あなた in this new journey.”
The ultimate alicorns paused for a couple of seconds, letting Celestia comprehend what she's heard, but the sun goddess remained silent.
“What's the matter, our child?” her parents asked. “You look uncertain. Your emotions are swirling! Isn't this what あなた wanted to hear?”
“I...” Celestia stuttered anxiously, feeling like a helpless little filly.
“We heard the lone words あなた whispered into the darkness, up in the Ivory Tower... We heard when あなた cursed your own existence and the heavens a million times! Isn't this what あなた desire? To finally break free from the responsibilities and the heavy burden of the crown?”
“No! I mean yes... I... No! Not like this... I didn't want the world to end!” Celestia replied.
“You have surpassed that level of existence, Celestia. What happens to Equestria is no longer relevant to you.”
“No, that's not true!”
“Come with us, our daughter!” the silhouettes urged. “The petty concerns of that world shall never bother あなた again. This realm knows no war, no fights, no endless struggles. あなた have done your part! Let it go, Celestia! あなた don't belong there anymore! Come with us and your most ultimate desires will be fulfilled!”
The Princess took a step toward her parents, looking at their inviting extended hooves, but she was still hesitating. The 画像 of her friends, loved ones and her subjects flashed in front of her astral eyes, the same disturbing slide 表示する replayed itself all over again.
“This is wrong...” Celestia whispered.
At one corner, there were Luna, Cadence, Twilight and her friends; Mirage and all of Equestria, at the other there were her parents, inviting her to 移動する on, offering her eternal peace.
“The choice is thy.” the shady silhouettes said, like if they knew what was she thinking about.
“No, this is wrong!” Celestia yelled all of a sudden. “Everything's wrong! It's not my time yet! My work in Equestria is not done!!!”
“Are あなた certain, this is what あなた want?”
“Absolutely! I have no yet earned the right to 移動する on! Not until my work is finished!” Celestia stated resolutely and her soul filled up with newly found strength and confidence.
“Very well. The path has been set.” the silhouettes declared and even though, Celestia could not see their features, she was sure they were smiling proudly.
The eyes of her parents were glowing white and their horns charged up with an オレンジ and dark blue magical aura. A combined beam struck Celestia, but it didn't hurt her, like she expected to. On the contrary, it was quite pleasurable, until her scars started to ache. The pain grew stronger with every 秒 until it was unbearable. She let out a ghoulish scream and a dark orb of blackness emerged from her chest. A pair of purple dragon eyes flashed inside the sphere and Celestia heard the same whispers that haunted her for もっと見る than a decade.
“You...” the sun goddess hissed. “I know あなた now! あなた are my own inner demon! But あなた will corrupt me no more!!!”
With those words, Celestia swung her hooves and crashed the black orb. It clashed against the 雲, クラウド and shattered to pieces with a loud bang. The shock wave sent her flying back, but the whispers seized to exist.
“Always remember who truly あなた are, our daughter!” the fading silhouettes 発言しました on a dying voice. “We shall always be with あなた in your spirit!”
“What if I never see あなた again?” Celestia cried, as sparkling tears ran down her cheeks.
“We shall meet again, Celestia...” her parents replied. “But not yet... not yet...”
The silhouettes dissolved, like the soft, billowing fog over the fields at the first rays of the Sun. Then an invisible force grabbed Celestia and dragged her back through the white tunnel rapidly. Everything's accelerated around her and the warm brightness overwhelmed her. She ロスト her body and for an evanescent little moment, she's become one with all the entities around her. She didn't fight against the unknown power, she let it take her away. Celestia felt like she was soaring through the sky in a nose dive, until she couldn't form coherent thoughts anymore; there was only the pleasurable brightness around her.
The solar Princess had no idea how long this experience lasted, but when her consciousness was starting to awake, she knew she felt something cold on her cheek. It was just a tiny dot on her face and the coldness disappeared after a second. Then resurfaced again. And again, and again. She felt it all over her body. It took her some time until she realized what it was.
Is this... rain?
Chapter 42: Cleansing light
Everything was bright and shiny. She was walking through a strange white tunnel, but the walls seemed to be alive. As she moved on, she spotted several faces all around her. She blinked in utter confusion and perplexity. She had no memory of how she got here, または where was “here”. Outlandish whispers reverberated from the moving and forever changing walls, but she was unable to comprehend the meaning of the quiet words; they just swiftly glided through her brain, like fallen leaves, traveling with the autumn wind.
The familiar faces kept emerging from nowhere, only to be swallowed によって the white brightness a few 秒 later. Then the recognition struck her: she knew all of these ponies; they accompanied her along the lengthy path of her life for an evanescent moment. Yes, all the ponies she met and who came close to her ハート, 心 were there. Her students, her officers, her subjects... everypony she ever encountered and brought grace into their lives. Everypony who got consumed によって the sands of time countless years ago. They were all there around her. She clearly sensed the presence of their entities in the all-suffusing whiteness. But this whiteness wasn't cold または menacing, it radiated with pleasurable warmness, penetrating deeply into her soul. As she walked forward, the light became even brighter, that it was almost blinding. Yet some invisible force was beckoning her further and she could not resist. When she came out of the white tunnel, she realized she was walking on fluffy clouds. The Sun shone brightly on the 上, ページのトップへ of the sky, bathing her in its light. It was an idyllic picture, harmony and calmness surrounded her, wisps of refreshing breeze cuddled her senses. Then she saw the contrast. Two dark silhouettes in the distance, idly sitting によって on a giant cloud. She could clearly see their horns and wings and even though their features remained invisible; she could only see their eyes, but it was enough for her to know they meant no harm. On the contrary...
“Welcome, our child!” a soft, yet strong feminine voice called out, in unison with a deep, determined masculine voice.
“Mother? Father?” Celestia gasped in disbelief.
“After all these years... we meet again.” the two voices spoke at the same time.
“Oh, I missed あなた so!” Celestia cried in tears.
“As have we.” the two voices replied warmly.
The sun goddess galloped towards the shady figures of her parents in anticipation, but no matter how fast she ran, they remained in the same distance. A few moments later, she understood this was getting her nowhere and stopped.
“What happened to you, our child?” the voices asked. They only spoke together: the soft female voice and the strong male voice.
“I... I don't know... I think my journey has come to an end.” Celestia stuttered, lowering her head, using her sparkling mane to cover her scars.
“You have forgotten us, Celestia!” the voices declared in disappointment.
“No, I could never...”
“You have forgotten who あなた are, therefore あなた have forgotten us.” the voices continued.
“I'm not the mare I was...”
“Look deep within yourself!” the echoing voices exclaimed. “You are so much もっと見る than what you've become! あなた are our daughter, a true Princess によって blood!”
“How could I possibly change the past? What I've done... I failed you!” Celestia cried, letting her emotions flow freely this time.
“What happened at that city is not your fault. Neither is the Changeling Queen's victory.”
“I'm so tired... so very-very tired... weary of battle.” the Princess 発言しました quietly and a careworn sigh escaped her chest.
“Yes...” the voices agreed. “The weight upon your shoulders is almost unbearable and offers あなた no peace. The task would crush the spirit of a common pony, but あなた are our daughter, Celestia! あなた are destined to lead ponykind to glory!”
“I... I can't do this anymore... I'm broken... how can I fight against such blazing hatred? No... it... is... impossible.”
The two alicorn figures narrowed their eyes at the same time. Suddenly, the picture of the silhouettes with glowing eyes, the bright Sun and the fluffy clouds melted away, only to be replaced によって a series of disturbing, sinister images.
“Do あなた give up?” Celestia heard her fathers voice alone this time.
The first image showed an 林檎, アップル orchard in Ponyville, where a family of earth ponies were hugging each other, tears flowing down their cheeks, as they were waiting for the apocalypse. It was the 林檎, アップル family of course. The picture changed, 表示中 a cyan colored pegasus, holding an オレンジ filly close.... 虹 Dash and Scootaloo. Then the winged ponies grew horns, their feathers merged with their barrel and disappeared and their コート turned white. Their surroundings have changed as well. It was Rarity and Sweetie Belle in Carousel Boutique. Then the dress ショップ turned into a cottage near the Everfree Forest. There was a バター yellow pegasus, trying to calm the countless little critters around her with the help of a draconoquus: Fluttershy and Discord. After a brief moment, Celestia found herself on a rock farm, observing a ピンク ポニー with her family. There were party decorations and accessories everywhere, but the atmosphere was grim and dark.
“This isn't the end, Pinkie.” the father said, smiling warmly at her daughter.
“I know.” Pinkie Pie smiled back with tears in her eyes and hugged the old stallion.
The scenario changed again, and image of Luna appeared in front of sun goddess. Her sister was cruelly chained down in a dark dungeon, she wasn't even able to 移動する an inch. There was a magic disruptor 襟, 首輪 around her neck. Anguish and sorrow distorted her face; she was clearly suffering.
“Will あなた abandon their hope?” her mother's voice asked.
The 次 picture showed the soul of Cadence and Twilight, struggling to break free from the powerful hypnosis of the Changeling Queen. They were in agonizing pain as well. Then the image of Canterlot flashed in front of Celestia, 表示中 her subjects in their homes, doing what Chrysalis suggested them: spending their last hours with their loved ones.
“Can あなた not feel their desperation?” her mother questioned relentlessly.
The 次 image featured Chrysalis, laughing maniacally, making Cadence and Twilight watch Mirage's agony in the shrinking green sphere of magic.
“Will darkness forever rule the world?” his father's voice said.
The 次 scene of the depressive slide 表示する focused on the universe itself. Celestia saw gleaming stars on the obsidian sky; the planets, tossed out of their orbits, spinning uncontrollably, and the black Moon of the Chronos, which almost consumed the entire Sun.
“HAVE あなた FORGOTTEN?!” her father shouted vigorously.
The last act consisted of a series of 画像 from Celestia's life and all the things she's done. She saw herself discovering the 木, ツリー of Harmony with Luna, then the first defeat of Discord and King Sombra, the battle with Nightmare Moon, the journey with Starswirl the Bearded, Cadence's ascension to alicornhood, taking Twilight Sparkle under her wing, The Summer Sun Celebration, The Elements of Harmony, Twilight's ascension, even the battle with the ancient fiery demon and finally, her メリダとおそろしの森 actions that stopped the changeling attack on Canterlot Castle.
“No. I have not forgotten!” Celestia stated, furrowing a brow.
The scary 画像 vanished and she was standing on the same plushy 雲, クラウド as before, the silhouettes of her parents were there too, right beneath the fiery disk of the Sun.
“One aspect of your existence has indeed came to an end, our daughter.” her parents said, speaking together at the same time again. “Now あなた must choose a new path. あなた have attained the highest level of wisdom and awareness! あなた have mastered the solar magic that runs deep within you! あなた have protected ponykind against any aggressor for over a millenia! あなた showed nothing but kindness, compassion and understanding and created a world of peace for your subjects. あなた ruled well, our daughter. あなた have passed the test of time and nobility! あなた are worthy, our child! If あなた feel あなた are ready to 移動する to the 次 level of existence and awareness, then step forward. We will guide あなた in this new journey.”
The ultimate alicorns paused for a couple of seconds, letting Celestia comprehend what she's heard, but the sun goddess remained silent.
“What's the matter, our child?” her parents asked. “You look uncertain. Your emotions are swirling! Isn't this what あなた wanted to hear?”
“I...” Celestia stuttered anxiously, feeling like a helpless little filly.
“We heard the lone words あなた whispered into the darkness, up in the Ivory Tower... We heard when あなた cursed your own existence and the heavens a million times! Isn't this what あなた desire? To finally break free from the responsibilities and the heavy burden of the crown?”
“No! I mean yes... I... No! Not like this... I didn't want the world to end!” Celestia replied.
“You have surpassed that level of existence, Celestia. What happens to Equestria is no longer relevant to you.”
“No, that's not true!”
“Come with us, our daughter!” the silhouettes urged. “The petty concerns of that world shall never bother あなた again. This realm knows no war, no fights, no endless struggles. あなた have done your part! Let it go, Celestia! あなた don't belong there anymore! Come with us and your most ultimate desires will be fulfilled!”
The Princess took a step toward her parents, looking at their inviting extended hooves, but she was still hesitating. The 画像 of her friends, loved ones and her subjects flashed in front of her astral eyes, the same disturbing slide 表示する replayed itself all over again.
“This is wrong...” Celestia whispered.
At one corner, there were Luna, Cadence, Twilight and her friends; Mirage and all of Equestria, at the other there were her parents, inviting her to 移動する on, offering her eternal peace.
“The choice is thy.” the shady silhouettes said, like if they knew what was she thinking about.
“No, this is wrong!” Celestia yelled all of a sudden. “Everything's wrong! It's not my time yet! My work in Equestria is not done!!!”
“Are あなた certain, this is what あなた want?”
“Absolutely! I have no yet earned the right to 移動する on! Not until my work is finished!” Celestia stated resolutely and her soul filled up with newly found strength and confidence.
“Very well. The path has been set.” the silhouettes declared and even though, Celestia could not see their features, she was sure they were smiling proudly.
The eyes of her parents were glowing white and their horns charged up with an オレンジ and dark blue magical aura. A combined beam struck Celestia, but it didn't hurt her, like she expected to. On the contrary, it was quite pleasurable, until her scars started to ache. The pain grew stronger with every 秒 until it was unbearable. She let out a ghoulish scream and a dark orb of blackness emerged from her chest. A pair of purple dragon eyes flashed inside the sphere and Celestia heard the same whispers that haunted her for もっと見る than a decade.
“You...” the sun goddess hissed. “I know あなた now! あなた are my own inner demon! But あなた will corrupt me no more!!!”
With those words, Celestia swung her hooves and crashed the black orb. It clashed against the 雲, クラウド and shattered to pieces with a loud bang. The shock wave sent her flying back, but the whispers seized to exist.
“Always remember who truly あなた are, our daughter!” the fading silhouettes 発言しました on a dying voice. “We shall always be with あなた in your spirit!”
“What if I never see あなた again?” Celestia cried, as sparkling tears ran down her cheeks.
“We shall meet again, Celestia...” her parents replied. “But not yet... not yet...”
The silhouettes dissolved, like the soft, billowing fog over the fields at the first rays of the Sun. Then an invisible force grabbed Celestia and dragged her back through the white tunnel rapidly. Everything's accelerated around her and the warm brightness overwhelmed her. She ロスト her body and for an evanescent little moment, she's become one with all the entities around her. She didn't fight against the unknown power, she let it take her away. Celestia felt like she was soaring through the sky in a nose dive, until she couldn't form coherent thoughts anymore; there was only the pleasurable brightness around her.
The solar Princess had no idea how long this experience lasted, but when her consciousness was starting to awake, she knew she felt something cold on her cheek. It was just a tiny dot on her face and the coldness disappeared after a second. Then resurfaced again. And again, and again. She felt it all over her body. It took her some time until she realized what it was.
Is this... rain?
Once, in a land, called Equetsria, there was a ポニー named Twilight Sparkle. She was a small Unicorn, and she loved to figure out what magic meant. She forever longed for a pet, and she's on different quests, to, find a pet, and venture out to see what magic means. Night Light and Twilight Velvet are sure, that Twilight can do this. They also say, if she finds one, she can get a pet! She tells Night and Twilight that she can't do this without a pet. She says it's impossible! Obviously, Night and Twilight don't believe her, but they know they should trust their daughter, so before Twilight goes out on her trip, Night and Twilight have to ground her (Nicely!) So they can plan who they're going to get for a pet and what they're going to name him. (I say him because Twilight says she needs a male pet)