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The Return

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Celestia could not recall the last time she had felt so much pain. The force of the blast alone had knocked her through two walls, sent her old and tired body spiraling, horn over hoof, until she crashed against a third wall. The dark magic of the blast burned the fur on her chest, causing still more pain to pile on top of what she was feeling. She could not even use magic to ease the ache in her ribs. The most her horn could do was flicker pathetically, although she kept trying any spell she could think of. But worst of all was what she saw stomping through the hole her aching body had made. If it had been a Changeling or a Minotaur that attacked her, she could suppress her pain by focusing on her hate. But how could she hate her own sister?

"I trusted you!" Luna screamed. She was shaking and sobbing, and even fell; her left foreleg yielding under her weight and she hit the ground. Celestia's horn sparked and went dead, again and again. A shield spell? A healing spell? Sending out a message to the Royal Guards? Anything. "I trusted you... I trusted you..." Luna kept sobbing.

"Luna," Celestia said, struggling to get to her hooves. "Luna please... calm down."

"I fucked up," the darker princess said, a sob stuck in her voice. "I did something awful and it killed me, all those years alone and forced to think about my crime. But then you said it would be alright. You said it was all alright. I had paid my debt: banishment was enough and now it would be fine and we could be happy again and I trusted you!"

"Luna." Celestia took a step back, though her rump hit the wall. "L-Luna... I can't... I can't use my magic. Something is wrong."

"But it was all a joke," Luna continued. "You and Sparkle and Dash all had a good laugh, didn't you? All of you got to watch me and laugh when I wasn't looking. How stupid could I be, to think you ever loved me? I was just a joke to you, just your court jester. It was all a joke. I was just a joke..." Luna's legs buckled, and she fell once more. She covered her head with her hooves, shivering, sobbing. "All just a joke. All of you, laughing at me. It was a good joke, wasn't it?"

Celestia approached slowly, shaking. "Luna?"

The dark pony erupted suddenly, and a wave of shadow hit Celestia. The force was enough to send her through the wall she had before dented. By the sun, it hurt, and then she landed on a desk, shattering it to splinters.

Luna pressed forward. Tears ran down her cheeks as she lowered her head, horn sparking, either intending to decimate her sister with a massive blast, or charge forward to run her through, but her eyes happened upon something shiny. When the desk had shattered beneath Celestia's girth, the contents flew out in all directions, and a small necklace, composed of black and white shells, had happened to fall into Luna's path. In an instance, her horn was no longer sparking, and Luna's eyes were fixated upon the necklace. Her blue magic embraced it, and she lifted it to her eyes, staring at it as if she could not comprehend its meaning. She stared at it, the tears trickling down her face, and she took a moment to wipe her eyes.

She lowered the trinket from her vision, and looked forward to Celestia, who was now standing before her. Celestia pulled her arm back, holding it cocked, before swinging forward with a furious haymaker. Her hoof collided with Luna's jaw, and sent the dark pony tumbling to the ground, landing hard with a loud thump. Celestia shook her hoof several times, a pained tingle running up her arm, and then she checked on her sister to be sure she was alright. She was worried about Luna, about damage to her jaw or her face, worried that when she had fallen she had hit her head. Most of all, she worried what had brought on the severe mood swing. Luna seemed alright, though, and Celestia gave a long sigh.

"Now now. Is that any way to treat your sister?"

The voice sent a shiver down the white princess' spine, but gritting her teeth and swallowing her bile, Celestia turned. Head lowered, horn out, she struck the ground several times with her hoof, and placed herself between Luna and the demon that now stood before her. "Discord! I should have known it was you. This has your stink all over it. What did you do to Luna?"

The draconequus looked to her passively, perhaps slightly annoyed he was not greeted with a kind word and smile, but soon enough a smile had spread across his features. "Do, my dear princess? Why, I am insulted at the accusation. I didn't do anything more than remind Luna of a few facts, point out a few... inconsistencies in your relationship. I didn't implant anything, if that is what you are so rudely implying. Everything was already there; her fears and suspicions buried somewhere deep inside, always nagging at her, tugging at her heart. All I did was shine a bit of light on those fears, and poof! I thought it would be cathartic for her. My mistake."

"I am going to kill you for this you bucking-!"

"Oh, come now, that's not the type of language that a princess should use. And besides, how do you intend to do that?" Discord asked. He lifted a hand, and revealed a shimmering, sparkling ball of fiery light. "I have your magic, princess. I do have to wonder actually, why did you hold back last time? Why did you let that little brat and her herd have all the fun? Why, with all this raw power, you at least could have done something against me, but I suppose you may have leveled Equestria while you were at it. Oooo! What an amusing thought. Why, I could bring down the moon and have it crash down on all these little insects all at once. And then force them to relive the day again and again and again. Oh yes!"

Celestia charged, horn out, covering ground quickly. A backhand across the jaw sent her flying, landing hard in the wall and sliding to the ground, beside Luna. In a moment, she was in the air, Discord's magic creating intangible shackles around her ankles and spreading her eagle. A muzzle on her mouth prevented her from talking, though she still tried, mumbling and snarling and roaring.

"Don't worry," Discord said. "I'm not going to destroy Equestria. I would love to, believe me, but I am sure that something would happen to monkey wrench my plans, right in the third act. You see, Celestia, I had a lot of time to think during my latest imprisonment, and I realized something, I had an epiphany. Well, I had a couple actually. The first is: I can't win. Reality doesn't like me, and reality will always send some little do-gooder who insists on fighting me, and eventually one of them will get a lucky shot in. So, what am I to do? I could just bring on the chaos all at once, binge until my next imprisonment, but that always ends somewhat anticlimactically. There are only so many pleads for mercy you can take before it's all just white noise. But then I had the other epiphany I was talking about."

Celestia turned her head to the side when Discord suddenly appeared before her, very close. His grin was wide, and his yellow eyes were bulging out of the sockets. "I realized I hate you. I hate everything about you. And not like I hate that little purple jail bait you've taken a shine to, no, my hate for you is something much deeper. I don't want to kill you, Celestia, that would be too easy. I want to ruin you. I want you to walk down the street and mares to hide their fillies, stallions to spit at you, and foals to cast stones. I want you ruined. I want every single creature from coast to coast to see you exactly as I do: the pompous, arrogant, haughty little troll that should have been smothered in her crib."

Discord sighed, and tilted his head back. "So, then I was left with the question, what to do? Of course, I knew I had to incapacitate you, that is no trouble at all. I know your tricks, and your weaknesses. Turn your sister against you, easy as cake. Like I said, I didn't even have to implant anything, just remind her of a few of her fears. I imagine once her head is clear she'll be back to kissing your hooves like a pet dog. But how to turn your loyal citizens against you, that was the million bit question. And how to make sure that all those do-gooders don't catch on that something is wrong until I've had my fun. But then it occurred to me, I needed help. I scoured Equestria, searching for someone who might offer their aid, and I managed to find someone who hated you as much as I do. You can come in now, Queen Cheeselegs."

Celestia managed to tilt her head to the door to her room, which swung open with dramatic flair, billowing smoke, and confetti. Queen Chrysalis trotted forward, head held low and eyes only half lidded. She hadn't spent more than a moment in the room when Discord was upon her, an arm wrapped around her neck like they were old friends. Her jaw clenched at the touch of the draconequus, but she said nothing, and continued trotting to Celestia.

Celestia watched close, as Queen Chrysalis' skin turned a creamy white, and her eyes turned magenta red. Her mane changed to something long and flowing, and an adorable crown appeared on her head.

"Like it?" Discord asked. He had reduced his size, and was happily straddling Chrysalis' back, gripping her mane. "Ooo, I hope you enjoy it. You see, my dear princess, after you were so mean to old Queen Cheeselegs, she and her minions were left weak and starving. I, the noble King Discord, was kind enough to take them under my wing. Isn't that right, Queenie? I keep their little bellies full with a Love Magic substitute, and she does exactly what I say."

Queen Chrysalis looked away as Discord stared. Discord, shrugged, and looked to Celestia. His smile spread ear to ear. "One final thing, to keep you out of the way. Shrink Celestia."

Celestia's eyes widened suddenly. The shackles disappeared with a sound like shattered glass, and Celestia was left falling, spinning and twisting dumbly. She landed hard on the ground with a loud plop and a sore rump, and looked up, staring at Discord's towering body, and the imposter princess. "You can have your fun with her, Chrysalis, but no killing. I want her alive for when we are done, to live with the shame that she failed her subjects so royally."

The queen glared at Discord, but then looked down to the shrunken Celestia, and couldn't help but let a smile spread across her lips. Very gently, she slipped the golden slipper off her left fore hoof, and lifted the hoof high into the air. Celestia watched as the massive wall of white filled the sky, and then as it descended in one single movement. The speed it was going was what terrified Celestia so, sure that despite Discord's wishes, she would not survive the crushing embrace. She braced her legs, and leapt forward with all her might, just managing to avoid the colossal wall of white.

The hoof crashed upon the ground, and Celestia glanced up, just in time to see the other fore hoof was already descending. Once more, she leapt, and then galloped as fast as she could, running beneath the titanic shape shifter, who attempted to trot backwards in order to keep a visual on her. Celestia's speed was impressive, despite her newly shrunken limbs, and soon Chrysalis found it prudent to simply lower her massive plot to the ground and sit, cutting off Celestia's path. Celestia skidded to a stop, only inches away from the ugly lips between Chrysalis' legs, and looked up, just in time to see the white hoof coming down, this time succeeding in smothering her beneath a wall of white.

The hoof was soft, sparing her death, but also warm, squishy, and doused in slimy sweat. And even soft as it was, the sheer weight that was applied to her body was smothering. Celestia braced herself on her back, and with all her strength pressed against the white. Her hooves squished and caused the layer of skin to yield, sparing her just enough room to inflate her lungs. Chrysalis giggled softly, the rubbing of the hooves oddly stimulating. She lifted her hoof, and Celestia took a deep breath.

Just as quickly, the hoof was down upon her. Celestia held her breath, but the pressure on her ribs caused her breath to blow out of her lips. She wheezed, the hoof rolling in a circle gently, and giggles escaped the giantess above her. Celestia craned her head to the side, and at an angle, stabbed her horn into the white, causing Chrysalis to squeal.

Chrysalis glared at Celestia, before lifting her hoof into the air, and bringing it down with all her weight and strength. Celestia's eyes widened, as the speed of the hoof increased, and suddenly it slammed upon the ground, actually causing the tile of stone to shatter. Cracks ran over the ground, spreading out from the hoof in a spider web of damage.

Discord grasped Chrysalis by the horn and yanked sharply, dragging her back and throwing her aside. Discord glared at the floor, with the ugly cracks running through it, and then to Chrysalis. "I said not to kill her!" he screamed.

Chrysalis stood slowly, dropping her glamour spell and assuming her true appearance. "You are a fool to let her live, Discord. I provide you my aid for the benefit of my people, but do not think I will allow your idiocy to threaten my goals."

Chrysalis gasped as Discord's claw took her around the throat, and lifting to his full height, he took Chrysalis off the ground. Her hooves swung and her horn sparked several times. Discord merely shook his claw, rattling her brain until she was still and limp. He stretched his head forward on his long neck, his eyes focused and fixated on the queen, who was beating feebly at his claw, gasping, as his grip grew tighter, and a trickle of blood wetted her slick skin. "Speak to me like that again, and I will devour all of your precious children with a glass of fine wine. Do you understand me?"

He did not bother receiving an answer. He dropped her, and on the ground she gasped and wheezed, rubbing her throat tenderly. Discord looked to his fingers, dipped with Chrysalis' blood, and then looked to the dent in the floor, where Chrysalis' hoof had come crashing down. With a clean finger, he stroked the dent, and brought it to his eye. "No blood," he mused, and then slithered to Luna, for the first time noticing she was no longer unconscious. "Where is she?"

"Where is who?" Luna asked.

"Tell me where Celestia is or I'll-"

"You'll what? Ramble out a couple more clichés? Turn the world into an abstract painting of your lack of creativity? Kill me? I'm hoping for the last one, since the oblivion of death would be preferable to listening to the storm of bad puns that dribble out of your lips."

Discord's eyes narrowed, as he took Luna by the horn and gave her a stiff yank, dragging her over the floor. "Change to Celestia," he barked, glaring at Chrysalis. "Declare a royal decree. It is now illegal to walk on the ground. Any pony caught walking on the ground will have their hooves chopped off at the knee." Discord lifted Luna up to his eye level. "And you... I don't even have to turn the citizens against you, they already hate you! Look at you, nothing but a bitter princess, who rules the time of the day no one cares about, because it's not the day! A bitter little foal who can't do anything right, who deserves to live in the shadows and never see the sun. No one missed you, Luna, not in all the thousand years you were banished to the moon. So I'll just have to come up with some other way to torture you." He grinned, showing his serpentine tongue as it flickered out. "Oh the fun we shall have..."

Luna glared at him, but smiled. "You'll never find my sister, Discord. You can look under ever rock, behind every waterfall, turn the entire world inside out, but you'll never find her, because my magic will always keep her just one step out of your grasp. And in a thousand years, she'll return, stronger and brighter than you can fathom."

XXX

Celestia had been acting odd the past week, and Twilight Sparkle was worried. Strange decrees were issued, martial law was invoked. Strangest of all, Celestia refused to set the sun, and the golden ball had been left to burn in the sky for days on end. Twilight had sent a number of letters to the princess, hoping to arrange a meeting, and finally one message was returned with a date and time.

Despite the gravity of the situation, there was a spring in every one of her steps, as she trotted along the polished white floor and through the castle. She was simply ecstatic because she was getting to see the princess. She could barely contain her excitement, and several times her magic got the better of her. With a splash of purple, she teleported just a few steps ahead forward, but always trotted at the same pace.

She was just approaching the throne room, when the doors swung open, and she had to leap back to avoid the heavy swinging door. Fluttershy, galloping out of the throne room at full speed, crashed into Twilight Sparkle with her full weight. She was sobbing and crying, and finding a warm body, buried her face into Twilight's purple chest. Instinctively, Twilight Sparkle stroked down her back, trying to calm her, but too quickly Fluttershy was on her hooves once more and continued running, before taking to the air and flying off as quick as she could manage (which was surprisingly fast given her fear of speed and heights.)

Inside the throne room, flanked by a pair of Royal Guards, sat Princess Celestia, head bowed, wings stretched out at her sides. Twilight Sparkle immediately fell to one knee, crossing her legs and bowing her head in respect. "You wanted to see me, Princess Celestia?" she asked. "Did something happen with Fluttershy?"

"Did you bring the Elements of Harmony, as I requested?" Celestia asked.

"Yes," Twilight said quickly, and used her magic to open the satchel that she wore around her middle. It was Celestia's magic that took the Elements of Harmony out of the bag, however. She brought them before her snout and examined them a moment, before handing them to the guard on her right, who carried them away. "Is something wrong with them?"

"No, Sparkle. Something is wrong with you."

Twilight Sparkle took a step back, but confused, ventured closer. "Forgive me, my princess, I don't understand."

"You're pathetic," Celestia said simply, as if that would answer all her questions. But seeing the baffled face of the purple pony, she continued. "I have been watching you, curious if you were ready for the next step in your lessons. I am not pleased with what I have seen. Transmutation spells baffle you, as do Age spells, and your Levitation is not at a level I am pleased with. And there are a thousand other things wrong with you, but I have business to attend to so I can't be here all day."

Twilight Sparkle swallowed nervously, and took an instinctive step back. "I... I... I am studying as hard as I-"

"Here," the princess said, picking up an apple from beside her throne. "Turn this into an orange." She threw it forward with all her might, as Twilight Sparkle's horn sparked, and she attempted to remember the spell. The apple suddenly collided with her horn, sending a painful spasm through her body, and she took several steps away. "Oh, what? Now you're going to cry?" Celestia asked.

"I... I'm... Princess Celestia... I..."

"I, I, I. That is the problem, right there. All you ever think about is yourself. I did not take you as an apprentice so that you could better yourself, I took you so you can protect Equestria. But you cannot, can you?"

"I'm studying as hard as I can! I've... I can work harder though! I can work much harder."

"Why weren't you working as hard as you possibly can to begin with?" Celestia asked. She lifted from her throne and trotted forward, now standing before Twilight Sparkle, who kept backing away. "Are you saying you are lazy? You were half-assing your studies, instead of dedicating yourself fully? Is that it? Or, like I said, you are only in this for yourself. Only concerned with yourself."

"No!" Twilight Sparkle screamed. She blinked tears, and took another step back, but found her rump pressed against the doors to the throne room. "I can do it. I can..."

Celestia's horn sparked, and a moment later, an apple had formed out of thin air. The apple was abruptly rocketed to Twilight Sparkle, hitting her squarely in the horn, causing a stiff whimper and cry, as it felt like her horn was going to snap in two from the force. "Change it," the princess said, spawning a dozen apples and sending them at Twilight Sparkle in a flurry. Each smacked into her horn, until she was forced to dip her head and hide her crown with a hoof.

"You are pathetic! Do something!"

"I-" Another apple hit Twilight Sparkle in the knee, and she tumbled to the ground, laying still.

"You can't do anything. You have shown that time and time again. You are simply not the student that I thought you were. I do not ever want to see you again, Sparkle. Return to Ponyville. Oh, and while you are there, tell the orchard pony I want to see her. It seems she has been spreading lies."

Twilight Sparkle swallowed, and lifted her head high. She turned, opening the heavy doors with her magic and trotting out into the hallway. She waited until they were closed, before she allowed her tears to stream down her face, and cast a teleportation spell that would take her someplace, anyplace, other than this.

Queen Chrysalis locked the door to the throne room, and allowed her glamour spell to fade, assuming her natural form. The Royal Guard who remained allowed his glamour spell to fade as well, and he came to stand before his queen, gently rubbing his head against her long leg in a sign of affection. She smiled down at him, and dipped her head to kiss his crown.

She sensed Discord's presence, but did not acknowledge him until he cleared his throat impatiently, in which time she lifted her head and looked to him. "Isn't there an orphanage you can go set fire to, or something?" she asked.

"Have your scouts found Celestia?" Discord asked.

"No. As you requested, I sent several of my children to the library where Sparkle resides. They looked under every table, on every shelf, inside every book. They found nothing. Honestly, do you think Luna is stupid enough to send Celestia to the first place you would think to look?"

Discord was suddenly before Chrysalis. "You're lying," he hissed. "You know something you're not telling me."

Chrysalis swallowed, but refused to blink. "I may hate you with all my heart, Discord, but I hate Celestia more. There is nothing I would like more than to place her in your claws and allow you to have your way with her."

Discord's lion's paw was suddenly upon Chrysalis' throat, pressing her against the back of the throne. Then he snarled, a sharp point suddenly found its way beneath his armpit, and he turned to see the Changeling guard, holding a spear pressed into Discord's torso. Discord released Chrysalis, and lifted the lion's paw above his head. It inflated to twice its size, and he swung it down, bringing the weight and force down upon the Changeling, who could only squeal before there was a deafening squelching noise. Crimson splashed out from beneath Discord's paw, gushing in all directions, drops even wetting Chrysalis' hooves.

"Disgusting insects," Discord hissed, shaking his paw several times to get the red goo off it.

Chrysalis walked forward, and fell to her knees before the red splotch, what was left of the guard. She stared at it, as if unable to comprehend what had happened to one of her children. She backed away as a black fire erupted on the ground, and the odor of burning blood and flesh made her sick and want to cry.

"Get into character," Discord barked. "The honest one will be here soon, and I want her emotionally broken before lunch. If you need me, I'll be in the dungeon with the princess of the night."

XXX

Twilight Sparkle's night was sleepless, and filled with tears. She refused offers of help or kindness, and refused to eat (the sight of an apple only made her cry harder, much to Spike's confusion.) Eventually, she had no tears, and desperate for a few minutes without heartache, she cast a sleep spell upon herself, and fell into a fitful rest, eyes still wet.

Minutes later, she woke screaming. Spike was pounding on the door, pleading and begging for her to let him in. She opened the door, and knocked him down as she trotted out, rushing to the main library. "Spike," she said. "I need a book called, the Origin of the Sun."

"Twilight, this isn't the time to study history."

"Please Spike, just trust me."

Spike sighed, and looked about the walls before gesturing to the third shelf from the top, tenth book from the left. With delicacy, Twilight Sparkle embraced the book with her magic, and very slowly took it down. Beads of sweat rolled down her brow, as she carefully moved the book to the table, taking such care, one would think the book was made of crystals and glass. Twilight Sparkle trotted to the table the book was resting on, and with a shaking hoof, gripped the cover. She took a deep breath, before opening it, and looked down. The book had been gutted, the pages carved out, leaving them hollow. And resting inside the book, was a small, shrunken white pony, who both Twilight Sparkle and Spike immediately recognized as Princess Celestia.

"Spike," Twilight Sparkle ordered. "Get me two bowls of water: one ice cold and one warm. Get me a washcloth, a small towel, a blanket, a plate of hay and nuts, and a roll of bandages. Then I need you to gather my friends up and tell them to meet up at Sweet Apple Acres, ASAP. Nothing is more important than them getting there as soon as possible."

"Wha-"

"Spike," Twilight snapped. She sighed, and nuzzled the young dragon's cheek. "Spike, please. I need you, now more than ever. Please." She leaned forward, and softly kissed his forehead.

Spike nodded curtly, and moving with speed that bellied his stubby legs, he gathered all that Twilight had requested. And then he was out the door, rushing to his first stop: the Carousal Boutique.

Twilight Sparkle dunked the washcloth in the bowl of warm waters, and with delicate hooves lifted Celestia out of the book. Her body was limp, but Twilight could feel the delicate inflation of her chest, showing she was indeed alive. Holding the washcloth with her magic, Twilight took the time to gently brush Celestia's fur. She dried her princess with the towel, and then set her down on the table. With her magic, she tore a piece of the blanket off the main body, and lifted Celestia into the air. Carefully, she wrapped the white princess in the warm embrace of the fabric, and then set her down carefully on the table, beside the plate of hay and nuts. And then she sat, and waited.

Celestia stirred weakly, and lifted her head. She opened her mouth to talk, but only a weak gasp could escape her parched throat. "Just a moment," Twilight said, and used her magic to pick up a few drops of chilled water from the bowl. She brought it to Celestia's lips, and Celestia slurped it up. Scooting out of the blanket's embrace, Celestia walked to the plate of hay, nibbling on one of the now giant nuts as she sat there, sighing.

"Where am I?" she asked Twilight Sparkle. "What has happened?"

"I... don't really know. You called me to your throne room a few days ago. And... you said that I failed... that I was no longer your student. And... I... you said..." Twilight Sparkle sniffled, and looked away.

"That was not me."

"I know," Twilight Sparkle said. "Princess Luna came to me in a dream. She explained that Discord had returned, and that you were in that book."

Celestia gritted her teeth. "By the Sun, Luna... What is that monster doing to you...?"

"Princess Celestia," Twilight Sparkle said. "You... or Chrysalis rather, has been doing things. There's a curfew now. Ponies are only allowed out of their house for a few hours a day. You...uhm... Chrysalis, has refused to set the sun, as well. Our crops are being burned. Sweet Apple Acres alone... Applejack's trees might never recover from this. The court has begun taxing water, despite the heat. There are guards that no one recognizes standing over all the rivers. And, there have been disappearances."

"Why hasn't anyone tried to stop Chrysalis?" Celestia asked.

Twilight sighed, and looked away. "Princess Celestia... it's you... You're our light. You're our sun. You've always lead us, always protected us. We don't know how to question you."

"It's Discord," Celestia spat. "Imprisonment has made him savvy and subtle. He's causing just as much destruction as before, perhaps even worse. And by the sun, he has my magic... And look at me! I'm the size of a doll! Twilight Sparkle, where are the Elements of Harmony? We need to banish the demon before he does anything more."

The purple pony recoiled. "I... I... you... I was summoned to the court and asked to bring the Elements of Harmony with me. I gave them... I thought it was you! I'm so sorry. By the sun, I'm so sorry. Please... I... I didn't..."

"Twilight Sparkle," the princess said softly, although loud enough to silence the purple pony's ramble. "It is not your fault, in any way. Do not blame yourself. The Elements cannot be destroyed, they can simply be hidden, which means all you and your friends need do is find them. But first, I would like my magic and size returned to me."

Twilight nodded quickly. "What do we do?"

Celestia looked to the many books that lined the library's shelf. "Long ago, I gave you an aged book. I told you never to open it, but always keep it safe. Where is it?"

Twilight Sparkle turned, and trotted up the stairwell, to the second floor of the library where she slept. After a few minute, Twilight Sparkle came trotting back down, carrying a boring looking book in her mouth. It was clearly old, by how damaged and ugly the cover was, and several pages were trying to escape from the cover's tight embrace. Twilight Sparkle set the book down on the table where Celestia stood, and looked to the shrunken princess, unsure of what to do next.

"Thirty-four pages in, there should be a spell, Number 19."

The purple pony nodded, and used her magic to flip through the pages. She skimmed the spell she had been told about, then looked to Celestia, puzzled. "This is just a spell to break jars."

Celestia smiled. "You haven't been studying your ancient languages, have you? It's a spell to break containers. My magic is being held inside a container, one created of Discord's chaos magic, but a container nonetheless. My magic will naturally recharge, but it may take months, if not years to reach a level of strength I was before. When my magic is freed, it will naturally return to me. I need you to cast this spell, Twilight Sparkle."

"But... what if something happens? I... I have let my study of ancient languages lapse. What if-"

"You're my only hope. You're Equestria's only hope. But most importantly, I believe in you. Never has a challenge been presented to you that you could not overcome."

Twilight Sparkle smiled slightly. "No pressure, huh?" She looked over the spell once more, and then to Celestia, who only gave her a gentle bow. Twilight Sparkle swallowed, and spread her legs, bracing her hooves and closing her eyes. Her horn sparked gently, before ceasing. Closing her eyes, she focused again, and this time a large, magenta bubble appeared at the tip of her horn. Celestia took a step back. The bubble swelled quickly, cackling with purple lightning, and just past the transparent sheen of the bubble's coating, a thousand tiny bubbles could be seen bouncing around angrily inside. Twilight's left foreleg bent, and her eyes fluttered opened. The bubble whined and began to compress, before she screwed her eyes shut.

"Breathe, Twilight," Celestia said. "This should be nothing for a sorceress of your caliber. Show that bubble whose boss."

A swell of magic traveled from her horn to the bubble, causing it to grow just a bit larger, and larger, and larger.

And then the bubble popped. The force was enough to knock Twilight Sparkle onto her rump, and Celestia was sent skidding off the table. At the last moment, she managed to catch hold of the table's rim, and hold tight, not sure if a fall from this height would prove fatal. The thousands of tiny bubbles that were housed inside the larger one spread out suddenly. They punched adorable holes through the library's walls, and spread out through the day. Off in the distant, screams and the sound of shattering glass could be heard.

Twilight Sparkle placed her head beneath Celestia, and lifted her head slowly, allowing the princess to rest on her crown. "Did it work?" she asked. She felt the miniscule weight lift off her crown, and watched as Celestia, glowing slightly, fluttered to the table and stood. She nodded happily.

Celestia's horn sparked with golden magic, as she attempted to reverse the shrink spell that afflicted her, but the horn sparked like a dying light bulb. She tried again, and again barely anything happened.

"It's alright," she said quickly. "My magic is weak, from being separated from me for so long. With time, it will replenish, recharge, but there is no time to wait. Twilight... uhm... I have an idea, but we need to reach Sweet Apple Acres... And, I do not know how strong my wings are, may I-"

Twilight Sparkle giggled cutely, and very gently embraced Celestia with her magenta magic. She placed the white princess down on her back, and told her to hold on tight, before she started to gallop out of the library, heading for Sweet Apple Acres. After a few minutes, she returned to the library. Gathering the black book in her mouth, she once more galloped out.

XXX

"Words cannot describe how sorry I am, to each of you." Celestia sighed. "It was not my hoof that hurt you directly, but it is my responsibility, as your princess, to prevent such harm from befalling you. I have failed in that duty, and I am sorry."

Applejack was the first one to speak. "We all fall sometimes, your majesty. And the sooner we get that imposter taken care of, the sooner we can start makin' things right. What do ya need us to do?"

"Page two hundred and thirty-eight of the book, Twilight. Spell 151."

Twilight Sparkle skimmed the book, until finding the page and quickly reading it over. She looked confused a moment, and then looked to Celestia, who nodded.

"There is magic, in each of you," the white princess said. "For Twilight Sparkle, or Rarity, that magic manifests itself much more apparently. Even you, Rainbow Dash, and you, Fluttershy, are blessed with magic that allows flight. But there is magic in each of you, even if it is not so apparent. The magic touches each of us; it is inside each of us, always with us. It is what forms our friendships and our love. It is what gives strength to our souls. But now, I must ask you to lend that magic to me, lend me your strength."

"You can't do this," Twilight said. "My arcane languages might be a bit rusty, but I know how to translate the word 'death.' "

Celestia lowered her head. "There is no risk for you six. The worst that will happen is you can't fly for a day or two, or you can't cast a levitation spell. The magic inside you is constantly flowing and refilling. The danger of the spell is for the one who accepts the magic into their body. They run the risk of...overloading and... well, you can imagine, I'm sure, what would happen."

"You can't do this," Fluttershy whimpered.

"We don't have a choice. It will be days, even weeks, before my magic has returned to me fully. Discord knows that he has lost control of my magic, and I fear what he will do in retaliation. We simply do not have time. I need to do this. It is my duty to Equestria."

Silence. Long pauses as each of the six bowed their heads, unable to look to the white princess.

"What do we do?" Twilight Sparkle finally asked.

Celestia managed to flap her wings, and use her magic to lift herself, placing herself before the book. "Focus on me," she said. "Will your strength to me. Feel the magic inside you, and then release it. I will recite the necessary incantation."

It was easier for Twilight Sparkle and Rarity, the unicorns, of course. Magenta wisps lifted from the purple pony, and blue from the fashionable one. Rainbow colored magic soon lifted from Rainbow Dash, who had spread her wings and let out several pleasured giggles and whines, at the odd tickle that was all around her. A pinkish glow emerged from Fluttershy, who let certain giggles escape her as well. Orange rose from Applejack, and pink from Pinkie Pie. The various wisps all wandered through the air, eventually attracted by a subtle, golden glow on the tip of Celestia's horn. Her eyes glowed with the same gold, and then her body.

The six ponies collapsed suddenly, panting and breathing hard as if they had just galloped for three days straight. Celestia's glow faded slowly, and she was shaking as well. Quickly, she focused all her energy on a growth spell, eager to remove the limitation of being so small.

The table she was standing on broke as her girth began to increase. The six ponies all watched with relief as she returned to her normal, majestic size, but then stared with confusion as her growth did not stop. Celestia showed no sign of concern, however, and was very careful with where she placed her expanding hooves, sure not to step on any of the six.

The barn whined and yielded suddenly, and with a burst of golden magic, it exploded into a thousand pieces. Celestia stretched herself fully, now the size of her castle, and took several slow, careful steps back before lowering her head. The six ponies all stared up at her with awe and fear, but she gave them a gentle smile. Sure to speak softer for their (comparatively) tiny ears, she said, "A precaution. This will lessen the likelihood of my body overloading on the magic." She leaned down, and with her massive snout, very gently nuzzled Twilight Sparkle. "I thank each of you for entrusting me. I am sorry to place more of a burden upon your weary backs, but I need you six to infiltrate my castle. My sister is alive, I am sure of it, held somewhere in the castle. I need her... I need you to find her, please. And Twilight Sparkle, I need you to find the Elements of Harmony. If I cannot defeat Discord on my own, they may be our last hope."

Celestia sighed, but once more managed to smile. "Let me tell you six, you are the greatest students I could have hoped for. I need you six to step up, in the way I know you can. All of Equestria will look to you soon, and a burden will be placed upon your back greater than you have ever known before. But you have each shown heart, far greater than the mightiest stallion, and each of you shall rise to the challenges that are set before your hooves, of that I know. Please, always remember, I love you all so."

Celestia turned in a stiff circle, careful not to step on anything or knock over any trees. She braced her rear legs, and then flapped her mighty wings, causing a gust of wind to blow over the country side. The six ponies struggled to remain standing under the gust, and when they were able to look up again, Celestia had taken to the sky, and set off for Canterlot, her great wingspan blocking out the sun that had been shining for so long.

The damage done to Equestria was far greater than Twilight had realized. The sun was angry, up above, and had turned a shade of crimson that was so unnatural. If Celestia believed she could spare the magic, she would have set it and given it a chance to rest, but she was aware that it would take every ounce of her strength to even survive Discord, let alone kill him. The forests were eerily quiet, and she hoped that the animals, sensing something was wrong, had fled, and not instead fallen victim to Discord's madness. Either way, she could not hear them, could not sense them, even as she flew over forests. It frightened her, in a way she could not describe. She was accustomed to a constant buzz of tiny voices, she even enjoyed it. And now, to hear such emptiness... Discord had created chaos, just nothing overt. But he had turned Equestria, her land, her home, into something so unnatural.

The worse was Canterlot itself. The streets and sounds and thoughts were so terribly quite, it made Celestia shiver. She flapped her wings, fluttering, and landed in the spacious city square which she could just fit in, and looked around. Banners had been erected: black with yellow trim, and a golden silhouette of Celestia's head emblazed upon them. Beneath them, the words "Big Sister is Always Watching." Tacky and pompous propaganda. Discord had done everything he could to make her image into something to fear, and perhaps he had succeeded. She could hear voices, thoughts, and now she wished she couldn't. She could sense all the rage that dwelled in the hearts of her friends and family.

Her arrival had been noisy, and windows opened, tiny unicorn heads peeking out and viewing the grand, titanic body of their princess. Many screams were heard, the citizens believing their princess had fully embraced her monstrous side and was preparing to destroy them all. She sighed, and began to trot slowly, and although she was careful not to deal any damage, she did stomp her hooves just a little loud in order to wake any of the still sleeping citizens up.

"Citizens of Equestria," she said as she trotted, voice echoing and booming and making the very ground shake even more than her steps. "I have failed you. I allowed Discord to return, and his horrors to reign down upon you. He had the goal of causing dissent and hatred in your hearts, and perhaps he has succeeded. I can hear, as I walk, you curse beneath your breath at the very sight of me. And I cannot blame you. For even though it was an imposter's hoof, to guard you is my duty. But I shall fight for you, now, as is my duty, because regardless of your feelings for me, I love each and every one of you, and if today I shall die, I can only promise to take that monster down with me."

Standing before the castle now, Celestia spread her legs, and stomped the ground with her mighty hoof. The doors opened slowly, and with casual swagger, the draconequus strolled out, hands behind his back. He looked up casually at Celestia, even had the audacity to wave as if greeting an old friend. Celestia lifted her hoof above his head, and brought it down. There was a satisfying splat and the sound of bones crushing, and she dragged her hoof back, wiping a smear of crimson across the castle stairs.

"I know that didn't kill you, Discord," she said. "Honestly, that was just to make me feel a bit better. Now, show yourself and I'll kill you proper."

Celestia's horn sparked, as she looked about, afraid of being taken off guard. Behind her, the street was starting to fill with miniscule ponies. Having spent days inside their homes, frightened and scared of the mood swings their ruler seemed racked with, they now watched in awe at the great white body of their princess, her hooves alone as large as some of their houses. They were frightened of course, unsure what mood may take her now that she could easily crush hundreds with a single misstep, but there was something about her that drew them out of their homes.

A blast of magic impacted Celestia in the back of her head, and she tumbled forward, but managed to catch herself before she crashed into the castle. She flapped her wings and spun in the air, before landing, careful where she placed her hooves and certain not to harm any of her subjects. There stood Discord, now rivaling her in size, and standing on the other side of city. The ponies at her hooves compressed tighter, as those who were now standing before Discord's massive feet attempted to get away.

"Oh, what now?" he asked.

Celestia lowered her head and spread her hooves. Her horn sparked several times, glowing with golden magic. Discord stared, bored, arms crossed over his chest and his massive foot tapping the ground, sending a tremor that knocked the miniature ponies off their hooves.

A golden beam of light rippled through the air, lancing out of Celestia's horn and into the draconequus' chest. Perhaps realizing how much energy she had been charging, Discord lifted his hands a moment before the beam made contact, and caught the lance of yellow at arm's length. His claws dug into the ground as he was pushed back several meters, but shifting his weight, he threw the beam off and into the sky.

Celestia's left foreleg buckled, and she almost fell, but managed to catch herself. She quickly looked down to assure that none of the ponies had been crushed beneath her, before she got back to her hooves.

"You are strong, Celestia," Discord said through gritting teeth. He looked down at his hands, at the light burns he had suffered over the fur and skin respectively. "But I, I am a god. And besides, there is one weakness that I am quite aware of."

Discord grinned wide, and looked down at the thousands of ponies who were all standing in the street, filling the space between he and the princess. His grin took a dark glare, as he lifted his lizard foot into the air, and then brought it down very slowly. Screams and shrieks could be heard as the hoof very gently brushed over the bodies of a dozen or so unicorns. Discord forced a cane to appear in his hand, allowing him to maintain his balance as he applied more pressure to his foot, laughing at the sparks of magic, as all the unicorns tried to levitate his claw. A few of the unicorns did manage to squirm away, but there were about four hopelessly pinned when his toes came down fully. Just an ounce more pressure, and there would only be a red stain upon the street.

Celestia watched the grim spectacle, teeth clenched, legs spread, horn sparking and charging but never releasing.

"You cannot defeat me, Celestia. You know it, I know it, the citizens of Equestria know it, because you are never willing to do what is needed. Face it, you could have killed millennia ago if you and your sister and all the other unicorns really set their mind to it, but you just don't have the guts or the will."

Discord lifted his foot, and placed it back down. "And why? Do you think the world would weep if these little twits got caught in the crossfire? Would the world mourn their passing? Or would there be a thousand others to take their place. These ponies should be our playthings, and yet you insist on watching over them like a foal who watches an ant farm." Discord's smile returned, and he bent at a painful angle on his torso, his sharp teeth looming over the thousands of little faces. They compressed tighter and tighter, many soon taking shelter beneath their now giant princess, hiding behind her hooves and under her belly or in her tail. But there were stragglers of course, and Discord casually followed them, until he could lift his foot and very gently place it upon an elderly stallion's back. "I'll tell you what, Celestia. Let me snuff this one's life, and if the heaven's themselves weep, I will willingly return to my imprisonment forever. Deal?" He grinned, lifting his foot high into the air, and brought it down suddenly, but a golden beam of light lanced out Celestia's horn. Discord screamed suddenly, knocked back several meters, and looked down over his body to the ugly hole that had been bore through his chest.

"You little... you bitch! That actually hurt!"

Celestia spread her hooves, and released another beam of golden light. As before, Discord caught this one, but found he could not simply throw it aside as before. There was pain in his hollowed out stomach distracting him, and the strength of the energy now touching him was burning to the touch. He snorted, bracing himself, holding the rippling, burning ball of golden light that was struggling to overcome him.

"Citizens of Equestria," Celestia shouted, her great voice booming through every corner of the land. Her eyes were screwed shut and her legs shaking and wobbling fiercely. Her hooves dug into the ground, boring large, horseshoe shaped holes. The strength of her magic waned suddenly, but with a shout, the lance of golden energy resumed.

"You won't win Celestia!" Discord screamed, taking a step forward. "Do you hear me you awful cunt? They don't give a shit about you!"

"Citizens of Equestria," Celestia said again. "I failed you in my duty, and allowed Discord to return. His horrors befell you, and he brewed hatred in your hearts. I will give my life for you on this day, but I fear the strength of my soul shall not be enough." Her leg buckled, and her magic stopped. Discord threw the magic aside, and took a moment to catch his breath. His lion's paw snatch one of the buildings up. In a moment, it was enveloped in black fire, and he threw the burning at the ponies at Celestia's hooves. She lowered suddenly onto her fore knees, blocking the ponies with her body and her head, and bit back a scream as the black fire exploded upon her. Before he could snatch another building up, a lance of gold had rocketed out of Celestia's horn, boring another ugly hole through his thin chest.

"Citizen of Equestria, please," Celestia said. "Please lend me you strength. Lend me the magic of your love, of your friendship, of your hope. Will it to me. Pony and Changeling, dragon and manticore, mare and monster, please. I call upon you each now. Please, help me to banish this abomination once and for all..."

Discord took a step forward. Arms out in front of him, the golden, cackling ball of magic was gripped tightly in his claws, and he took another step, and another, slowly approaching the princess. She did not have the strength, he knew, and laughter, cruel and black, rolled off his tongue. His grin was wide as he took another step, but suddenly felt himself move back several feet. He looked down and to all the unicorns standing around the white princess, and how little sparks of magic were lifting out of their horn. He gritted his teeth, pressing on, but again found he could only move back.

"You won't win!" he screamed. "She's tricking you, ponies. Just as she did before. This will extinguish your life. She's going to devour your soul. It's a trick. Stop helping her! Stop!"

Glistening sparkles of a thousand colors filled the sky, descending upon the white giantess, who was soon able to stand on her four hooves. She focused all her energy, all of her soul, against the draconequus, whose hisses and snarls came to an abrupt stop. "You won't win Celestia," he shouted. "You can't kill me! I'll be back, I'll be back! Do you hear me?! I'll be back and I will kill every single-"

The beam of golden light stopped suddenly. The energy dissipated, and Discord fell to his hands and knees, gasping and panting, skin charred and his hands bloodied and melted. He looked up, to see the tip of Celestia's horn glowing brilliantly with white light, the intensity almost blinding. "No Discord," came Celestia's booming voice. "This time, you shall never return."

She lowered her head and aimed her horn, before releasing a blast of purest white. If Discord screamed, it was not heard as the light engulfed him, swallowed him up in its embrace. And just as quickly, the white light had disappeared, leaving not a trace of Discord's existence.

Celestia's skin turned to gold fire as she fell forward, her legs buckling beneath her weight. The fire burned quickly, melting away her body, and soon only a normal sized pony was falling through the sky. She would have splatted against the ground had Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash not swooped forth, and each taking one of her forelegs, and they flapped their wings furiously in an attempt to keep her in the air. More Pegasus joined, and soon the glow of a thousand Unicorn horns were embracing her.

Celestia looked different. She was smaller and slighter, as if she was not fully grown. Her hair, which had been a flowing rainbow for as long as any had known her, had taken a pink hue and mundane look. Attempting to stand, she wobbled and waned until a pair of burly Royal Guards each flanked her, supporting her, and helping her to the castle.

"Thank you," Celestia mumbled. "Thank you all. Thank you all so much..."

"Take her to her personal quarters," Twilight Sparkle ordered. "I will be in shortly."

XXX

Celestia was exhausted when she woke. There was not a single part of her that didn't hurt, and when she tried to roll out of bed and onto her hooves, her legs buckled and she landed on the floor.

She felt magic embrace her, and was vaguely aware she was being lifted. She was placed onto the bed very gently, and a blanket was tugged so it rested under her chin. "You need your rest," came a soft voice, the one that belonged to Luna.

Celestia forced herself to sit up and look to her sister, who came trotting forward slowly. Her middle was taped with white bandages, and she was hiding half her face with her flowing mane. Her right wing was worn with a splint, and she was limping. "Luna... what..."

"Discord wanted... wanted to know where you were. Where I had sent you." She giggled nervously. "Never thought to look right under his nose. But I guess being the Spirit of Chaos doesn't grant you a cohesive thought pattern. Never thought that would work..."

"Luna..." Celestia stood slowly, weakly. "Thank you..."

Luna smiled.

Celestia walked to the mirror, and looked at herself. As a testament of how powerless she was, she looked smaller, and weaker. Her mane still had the pink coloration instead of the flowing rainbow, and of course, she looked so much younger, Luna could be called her "big" sister.

"I've been raising the sun and summoning the moon," Luna said. "A... A great party was held on that first night. It filled my heart with a sense of joy like I have never known."

Celestia giggled. "I think we should make a holiday out of it." She sighed. "That took everything I had, and then some. It might be weeks before my power has returned to me in full. Will you be able to handle the sun and the moon for that time?"

"You did it for millennia. I think I can do it for a couple weeks."

"Is every citizen alright? Has there been any sign of Discord?" Celestia asked.

"No... I thought he was destroyed?"

"I am not certain. Discord isn't a god, he's an element of reality, even though his purpose is to destroy reality itself. I am not sure something like him can be destroyed, or if I have, then surely another will someday take his place. But that will not be for many, many years, I feel. The Changelings? Any news of them?"

"No. Chrysalis and her minions escaped during the confusion. I have not ordered a search party. I felt that, with all that had happened, it would be better to reinforce our borders, first and foremost."

"You chose right. And...when I was fighting Discord, and begged for the strength of all, I could feel Chrysalis lending her strength to me, and the strength of her brood. She is a ruler who protects those she loves, just as I am. If she didn't keep trying to kill me, I think we could be friends." Celestia used her magic to lift a brush, and gently stroke her mane. That miniscule exertion left her utterly fatigued, and she soon was sitting, panting weakly, until she once more felt blue magic take hold of her, and lift her up.

"You need your rest, dear sister."

Celestia felt herself tucked, and pulled the blanket a little tighter under her. She closed her eyes, head resting on the pillow, but soon lifted her head and looked to Luna. "Do you remember when we were younger? When you were afraid of the sun."

Luna giggled softly, and smiled. "You rested in bed with me, wrapped me in your arms and kept me safe."

Celestia looked down at herself, how small she was, how weak she was. She looked to Luna, who gave a nod and smile, and climbed into Celestia very large bed, soon tugging her "little" sister close, and hugging her gently through the night.