Canterlot An Eccentric Trespasser [Closed]

[Dio]

Luna’s impassioned plea twisted strands in Celestia’s heart, loose strands she thought she'd tied up long ago. This was the Luna she knew. Zealous, headstrong, outspoken, and stubborn. She was the forceful, passionate counterpoint to Celestia’s subtlety and patience. It was all at once comforting and wrenching.

Ruthless was never a word used to describe Celestia, but it was something she had quietly suffered calling herself after “dealing with” Nightmare Moon. She was a hero to her people, a savior from the forces of darkness. They had adored her, some even worshipped her, but it did little to blunt the fact that she had unleashed the full fury of her arcane might upon her own sister. It was necessary to be sure. But Celestia still found it difficult to forgive herself for causing harm to one she loved dearly.

“...No matter what it costs!”

Luna’s words echoed in space. Celestia herself had said that once, a very long time ago.

“Princess... the entire kingdom knows you're amazing... but perhaps ... you need to trust in your sister, and what she can do?” The Doctor echoed.

“No matter what it costs...” Celestia mouthed.

She glanced up the spiraling stairs for a moment before slowly trotting over to Luna. Gently, with the tip of a great wing, Celestia she lifted a tear from Luna’s cheek. She stepped closer, wrapping both her wings around her sister and gently nuzzling her.

“Dry your tears, sister,” Celestia whispered, her voice husky, but resolute. “You are right. We must act, and act now. But know that whatever happens, I love you and I will not allow you to come to harm again.”

Folding her wings back by her side, Celestia turned around and started up the staircase to the upper levels of the cistern.

“Guards, Doctor,” she said, giving one last glance backwards. “Keep Luna safe. Do whatever it takes.”

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Luna turned away, rubbing her eyes furiously and scolding herself for letting her emotions get the best of her. She felt Celestia's wing tip against her cheek, and looked up into the sad eyes of her sister. Breathing in, a single shudder ran through her, and then she became calm.

Luna allowed herself to be comforted by her sister, snuggling into her chest and wrapping her own wings about her sister as best she could. She had ceased her crying, but as they prepared to part ways, she couldn't help but to shed a few more tears. She quickly did as she was bid, wiping away the tell-tale liquid and sniffling.

“Celestia, wait!” Luna's voice was urgent, but barely above a whisper since the Doctor reminded her of the nearby presence of their enemies. She drew closer to her sister, taking her first tentative steps up the stairway that could change their lives. “The bigger threat may be up there, but the real threat is down there.” she gestured with a flick of her head.

“And don't think you're above needing protection either!” she raised a hoof, only to stomp it down a moment later. “We're not gods, Celestia.” she gave a small smile. “No matter how hard we try.” She was speaking not only of her own faults, but also of her sister's current heedless act.

“They'll see you coming sooner than they will me. Your white coat in the dark could give us all away. If you took the lower path, there could be passages to hide in if need be. And... seeing as the guards are also white, not to mention they can't fly, and neither can Whooves—“ she stepped around Celestia, turning to her when she was ahead, “—I'll have to go alone.” she did her best to stare Celestia down in a bold manner, a sign that she meant business.

[Bramble Rose]

Doctor Whooves' eyes glowed with appreciation, and a fierce grin curled his lips. He gave a single, respectful nod, and a half-bow, almost managing to make it serious. "Your Highness," he said to Princess Luna.

Then he turned to the stairs heading down, stepping past the guards and picking up his lantern again - the only non-magical light source they had. "Come along, 'Tia," he said brightly, not a hint of doubt in his voice that she'd obey, as his manic energy began to return. "allons-y!"

He knew time, now, was of the essence, and he descended quickly down the stairs, hardly paying attention to wether he was followed or not. Here, here was the center of it all. The unknown. Well, barely known. Ponies were in danger, Equestria was in danger... And he was adventuring with the pricesses! What a WONDERFUL DAY today was!

He paused, then, at the bottom of the stairs, where the path split into three, one forehoof up in mid-air as he twisted around to glance behind him. "By the way, which direction was it?" he asked brightly, his face bearing a brilliant and excited grin.

[Dio]

Celestia paused in mid-turn, shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts. It was that aetheric static again. Being down here so close to the singularity was like being in a room with a thousand speakers all blasting nothing but static.

“Celestia, wait!”

“Luna, I’m giving you the best possible chance of success. You must--” Celestia took a step back as Luna brushed past her. What was she--

“We’re not gods, Celestia. No matter how hard we try. They’ll see you coming sooner than they will me. Your white coat in the dark could give us all away. If you took the lower path there could be passages to hide in if need be. And... seeing as the guardas are also white, not to mention they can’t fly, and neither can Whooves-- I’ll have to go alone.” Luna whirled around to face Celestia as she spoke, her declaration echoing in the hallway. The smaller alicorn looked Celestia dead in the eye, her hooves firmly planted, refusing to budge.

Celestia could do little more than stare blankly back at her sister. Luna had always been the more headstrong of the two, tackling problems head-on and never hesitating to confront what she believed to be an injustice. This was in stark contrast to Celestia’s gentle demeanor and her penchant for diplomacy. Even after all the years, those traits were still there, if obscured by her awkwardness at adjusting to the new world in which Luna found herself in.

It was clear that Luna wished to place herself at the front, using herself as the bait. Back to the front, just like times long past. As much as it pained Celestia to let her go, Luna was right. The doctor needed her to defeat the queen and Luna needed her with a clear head. Besides, once Luna made up her mind, it was unlikely that even Celestia would be able to change it.

“Come along, ‘Tia!” The Doctor said. “Allons-y!”

There it was, the Doctor’s signature battle cry. It was time to go. Celestia looked to Luna one last time, a mixture of distant sadness and quiet understanding in her eyes.

“I’ll go. But promise me... promise me that you’ll stay safe...” she whispered before she turned, following Doctor Whooves down, down, down, towards the sound of churning aether.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

”I—I will.” Luna replied, slightly surprised by Celestia's lack of resistance. The threat they now faced was especially dangerous to both of them... and Luna had her doubts about their survival. Or perhaps, just her own.

She was facing the larger threat, but the monster that Celestia was facing was the one that would end it all. But, if Celestia didn't arrive in time—there was no way to synchronize their movements, no time to try to work out a better strategy. They were in too deep to go back and get an army. She looked in the direction Celestia had gone, staring after her, before she turned to complete her part of the attack.

Luna quickly made her way up the stairs, gulping nervously. They had no plan; just a rough idea of what needed to be done. Everything was set to go wrong. They were unprepared to face an unexpectedly powerful threat... And most importantly, their magic was a help to their enemies rather than a useful weapon to them. The odds were against them... and it gave Luna a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

As she reached the top, Luna looked down the long tower into the blackness. Everything was dark and quiet—too quiet. She took a deep breath before she plummeted down, letting her wings set the pace and her horn light the way.

Down... down... down... Luna wished she knew where Celestia and the others were. They were all recklessly throwing themselves into a battle where they were outnumbered in every way. They should have turned back, thought things through. They had all been caught up in the moment; take action now, talk later! Luna had originally supported the idea, but now that she was alone, she was having second thoughts.

She was so absorbed that she failed to notice a small flock of Manasprites until they flew into her face. She gasped, losing her balance and falling through the darkness. She knew she had to right herself quickly, for she had no idea where the bottom was.

The Manasprites were behind her now, following too close for comfort. Luna sped up, trying to get further away from them but still keep them in sight. That was when she saw the rest.

It was a swarm of them, much like a swarm of bees. The noise was even comparable. Luna hovered in the air above them, her horn the only light in the area. She was high enough that they hadn't seen her yet, but she momentarily forgot about the small bunch following her. That is, until they attacked.

Luna found her horn covered with the creatures, and no amount of shaking would release them. She gasped and cried out, trying to be rid of the Manasprites, as the light from her horn faded from the loss of magic.

A few from the swarm below had begun to notice Luna's presence, and she saw them approaching. She did the only thing she could think of, mustering up enough power and shooting a magical orb into the chittering chaos below. Luckily, it worked, and all the Manasprites present went for it. However, it also alerted them all to her location.

She took off, heading for the top again, making up a plan as she went. If she led them all out of here, they would just spread outside or further underground. She couldn't let that happen. Luna reached out with her magic, mapping the tower with her mind and how much space she had left until the top.

Desperate, Luna shot another orb below, sending the Manasprites scrambling after it. Having only one last minute plan in mind, Luna reached out with all she had and grabbed at the sides of the tower. Centuries old stone cracked and crumbled under the forced, until it all began to fall.

Luna doused the light of her horn, hoping she could make it through the infestation undetected. She could feel the weight of the tower behind her, and she raced forward. There was no stopping now. Manasprites flowed along every inch of her skin, nearly causing her to spasm from being tickled everywhere at once. The sound roared into her ears while she was in the thick of it, and she could only tell that she was ahead of them when the sensation and sound stopped.

Luna's horn glowed once again, hoping that she was far enough in front to be out of immediate danger from the Manasprites. She used her magic to slow the stone behind, enough that it wouldn't come down on her midair. She planned to bring the entire tower down on the hoard... even if it meant down on herself, too.

She chanced a glance back, and realized the Manasprites were right on her hooves. In a last burst, she gave it all she had. She felt magic surge through her, like nothing she had ever felt before. She could see everything, sense everything. All her senses were heightened. An outside observer would have seen her eyes turn a solid light blue, magic emanating from ever fiber of her being. Her hair whipped back, trailing behind her in an array of stars. But Luna didn't notice.

She sped up, faster and faster, thinking of her subjects, and also the looming threat behind her. She thought of Celestia, and all the guards, and everypony in Canterlot, and all across the land. Each one of them spurred her on, until Luna thought she would burst.

The bottom loomed up below. In an instant, Luna scanned around for the trapped guards, feeling with her magic and looking with her eyes, spotting them just off to the side. She had to make it there, and hope that Celestia would feel her presence and shield the others with her. The entire tower was literally coming down, and Luna was at the front.

There was a tremendous explosion that shook the underground. Dust and glitter was everywhere, making it impossible to see. Where there had been an empty chamber, now there was just rubble.

Luna was buried under it, her magic creating a shield around herself and the Unicorn guards. She stood over them, not only protecting them with her magic, but also with her body. But the strain from her recent feat, and the pile of rubble on top, made it difficult for Luna to withstand.

”Please Celestia. Hurry.” she prayed. If her sister didn't make it on time, they would all be crushed.

[Bramble Rose]

Doctor Whooves led Celestia deeper and deeper down the winding staircase, the light from his small lantern flickering off the ancient stone walls. The cobwebs grew thicker and thicker, as they descended, but they had no time to be delicate about such things - Doctor Whooves powered through, though they started giving some serious resistance. He was draped with wisping tendrils of web by the time they reached the bottom, but his eyes were bright as he gripped his screwdriver tightly with his teeth.

The door at the bottom was locked, but it took only a second for Doctor Whooves to wriggle the screwdriver in the keyhole enough to unlock the door. "There," he whispered softly. "So they should be on the other side of here - the queen, and the missing unicorn guards. They'll probably be kept close to her so she can feed - if I remember correctly, she gets a bit bigger than the rest, and can't move very well ..."

He grinned to Celestia. "So it should be pretty easy to get the hop on her, aye? Just gotta wait for Luna's dist-" He was cut off, suddenly, by a horrible shriek on the far side of the door, quiet rasping from a thousand tiny throats all raised at once. "I think that'd be it, innit?" He grinned happily. "Right, then! Allon-SY!"

He set his shoulder and barged through the door, ready to charge to the center of the chamber. "Now, where's that ..." He paused, and his eyes widened, raising his head to look up at the five-foot-tall fluffy green ball with far, far too many legs squatting in the center of the stone room. "... queen ..." Webs surrounded the area, thick webs in which guards were wrapped in tight coccoons, their horns sticking out. They weren't as many as Doctor Whooves had thought ... was there another batch elsewhere? No, wait, focus on the queen. The giant... massive... bigger than he was ... queen.

"Well ... um ... can't just step on that, then ..." he said, staring up at her as her red eyes turned upon them as well.

[Dio]

The air was almost oppressively still; an earth pony would not have felt the currents of the aether and likewise would not have heard the aetheric static that pervaded the claustrophobia of the catacombs. But just the same, there was a palpable chill that lingered and a certain something that was likely to set anypony on edge. But to Celestia’s sixth sense, the environment was in constant motion. Ribbons of transparent lavender whipped past her head at lightning speed. Crackling arcs of purple electricity crawled along the walls. Static filled the air as if she were in the midst of a speaker malfunction. All threads and currents seemed to converge upon a single point just beyond the cistern wall, a singularity that was rapidly sucking down all ambient strands of magic.

The flow seemed to draw Celestia’s mane with it even though there was no wind in the catacombs; a clear marker of the disconnect between the physical and aetheric realms and Celestia’s precarious position between the two. The Doctor was speaking, but Celestia could hardly hear him over the white noise in her ears and the visual static from the rapid flow of aether around her.

Finally, the contingent arrived at the door to the cistern floor. Celestia had the mind to take a closer look inside, peering through the walls through the aether before acting. But before she could do so, the Doctor had already trotted to the door and with a mighty “Allon-SY!" had shouldered his way through. Gritting her teeth, Celestia quickly slipped in behind him, ducking under the frame that was obviously designed for smaller ponies.

"Now, where's that ..." the Doctor paused, and his eyes widened, raising his head to look up at the five-foot-tall fluffy green ball with far, far too many legs squatting in the center of the stone room. "... queen ..."

The cavernous walls of the cistern stretched above, a seemingly infinite expanse dimly lit by everburning torches and shrouded in the sounds of thousands of skittering legs. The sound of static was nigh unbearable now, but Celestia shut out the noise and stepped forward. The walls and floor were covered in webbing, wholly organic in nature, but laced with something that glittered to the senses, something distinctly magical. Embedded within the webbing, immobilized but still alive, were the horns of unicorn guards. Breaking them out would be simple... once the queen was dealt with.

In the center of the stone cistern sat a large caterpillar-like mass, covered in bright green fuzz and sporting more legs than any creature had any right to have. The creature sat squarely at Celestia’s eye level, but was many times more massive; by comparison, it dwarfed the Doctor. Reacting to the sounds of the company’s entrance and surely to the sudden presence of such a substantial source of magic, the queen slowly slithered into position, turning her red eyes first upon Celestia, then the Doctor, then back to Celestia.

"Well ... um ... can't just step on that, then ..." the Doctor muttered.

Seeing the aether side by side with the material world, it was immediately apparent that the creature’s physical manifestation was only loosely based on its manifestation in the aether. While the creature’s eyes belied quiet curiosity, its aetheric manifestation stood upon spindly legs, its mandibles practically dripping with saliva as it hungrily eyed the new food source that had blundered into its lair.

The princess’ mane and tail whipped about her in multicolored strands as they were drawn towards the magical singularity at the core of the queen. How could one of the most magical creatures in Equestria fight something that consumed magic? The creatures fed on magic, so spells to shield or harm them through evocation would be worthless!

“We’ll need a bigger horseshoe to stamp this out,” Celestia said flatly, belying the frustration within.

As if on cue, an enormous BANG echoed from above, followed by the shrieking and skittering of myriad spiderlike creatures. A low rumble shook the entire cistern, quickly escalating into a roaring cacophony. Large chunks of hewn stone began falling around Celestia, Doctor Whooves, and the remaining guards, each impact sounding like a sledgehammer against the floor of the cavernous structure.

“Not what I expected, but that will do,” the princess said before springing into action.

Even before the the shadow had been cast upon her, Celestia could feel its bow wave in the aether. The Princess shoved Doctor Whooves back towards the guards as she dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding a giant chunk of fallen ceiling that landed between herself and the manasprite queen. She whirled back around, her hoof guards sparking on stone as she threw her barriers up around the company.

A gleaming sphere of violet sprang into existence, just quickly enough to stop the gigantic fragment from falling over and crushing them. As other fragments of the ceiling continued to fall, Celestia stepped up to the stone fragment, calling upon the strength to move mountains that ran in the veins of earth ponies. Folding her wings leaning into the rock in a decidedly unprincesslike manner, Celestia threw the weight of the earth against the stone.

The stone stack creaked and groaned against the floor as it slowly but surely reversed direction. With one final shove from Celestia, the fragment toppled, landing squarely atop the queen. The creature shrieked in both the physical realm and the aether, its incorporeal form immobilized as its corporeal anchor was pinned beneath the stone. Celestia cringed as the high-pitched keening filled her ears, but stamped her hooves and reinforced the barrier in spite of it. The flow of aether suddenly reversed direction, making her mane and tail stream out behind her as the manasprite queen began to “bleed” magic.

Another gigantic chunk of rock crashed down atop the first, thoroughly smashing the queen with the force of a thousand hammers. Celestia reflexively raised a wing to shield her eyes as the keening reached a fever pitch; the other wing shielding the guards on her side and Doctor Whooves behind. There was a tremendous explosion that shook the very foundations of the mountain. Dust and glitter was everywhere, making it impossible to see. Where there had been an empty chamber, now there was just rubble.

******

Darkness. A shroud of artificial night was cast across the bottom of the cistern as the everburning torches were torn from their walls and the air choked with dust from pulverized stone. An eerie silence had descended upon the base of the structure. There was no chittering of manasprites, no clip-clop of hooves on stone, no speech to suggest that anypony was even alive. The cistern may very well have become a tomb.

But there was always hope. A single pebble rolled down a slab of rock that had buried itself in the dust and debris. Then another. Then another. The slab itself began to shake as if some plow horse had secured chains to it and begun to rend it from the earth. Little by little the slab and those around it worked themselves loose until finally they shot away from the ground in a burst of purple light and blue sparks, clattering against the cistern walls before thudding unceremoniously to the floor.

Celestia gasped for breath as she breached the surface of the sea of broken rock. A choking miasma of dust lingered in the air around them, forcing her to maintain her barriers if she wished to breath. The princess scrambled over the artificial scree, extending her barriers to clear the air around her and lighting her horn in an effort to see through the gloom. She was dirty, sweaty, battered, and bruised, but she would live.

It was Luna that she was far more concerned about. Dread was an uncommon feeling for Celestia, a pony who always had things under control. But as she frantically swept her search spell around the cavern, the feeling crept along her belly on icy claws.

“LUNA!”

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Luna's shield was the only thing that illuminated the area around her. Though it sparkled with magic, the color was much darker than her sister's brighter, pinkish magic. Still, the stones around the outside of the shield would likely offer cracks and crevices for it to shine through... if only the dust would permit as well.

Luna's breath came in rasp and she struggled to keep the shield stable. She wasn't used to so much magical exertion, being quite a bit out of practice. Still, she pushed outwards, trying despnately to break through the stone prison... which could very soon become a stone grave.

She heard a soft splat sound, and looked down to see a drop of something dark on the ground. As she squinted, trying to figure out what it was, another drop joined it. Luna placed a hoof under her nose, removing it quickly when she felt the liquid. She looked at the hoof, realizing with alarm that it was blood.

She gasped in surprise, losing her concentration and causing the shield to falter. The mound of rocks, no longer being held up, instantly began to fall toward the ponies. In a second, Luna had the shield back up, but the sudden strain was taking its toll. Her knees buckled under the weight, but she gritted her teeth and tried to hold on.

It wasn't just her own life at stake, but that of the guards as well. At least... at least she'd been able to save everypony else before the infestation broke loose and terrorized Equestria. The guards knew what they were getting into when they joined up, right? Sure, their lives weren't on the line everyday, but there were rare occasions that the guard was called upon to defend Equestria.

But what if they had families? Luna may not have held her own life in very high regard, but when it came to others, her princess-ly instincts kicked in. She had a duty, just as Celestia did, to protect the ponies of Equestria at all costs. The guards may have protected the majority, but when it boiled down to it, Luna and her sister were pretty much the sole guardians.

Her heart was beating fast, and she took deeper breaths as it became harder to breath. There wasn't a lot of room under the shield, and there was no opening to allow for more oxygen to get in. It became hot and stuffy rather quickly. Luna panted, her vision wavering and her head starting to spin. She was growing closer to giving up. Her main task had been completed. Equestria was safe.

[Bramble Rose]

Doctor Whoves stared upwards as everything started to collapse. This ... certainly hadn't been part of the plan. Luckily, this wasn't his first cave-in. He side-stepped one stone, then another, dodging rather frantically as he threw himself out of the way of these tumbling boulders.

He was almost fatally distracted as he was pressed out of the way by Celestia, and smiled to see the shield keeping that lethal stone hovering over him. "Well, now, it certainly is handy keeping you around!" he said brightly, but she was already in motion.

Events started happening too fast for him to keep track of, then - chaos, disaster, catastrophe - all the things that let him know that life was still going on, and adventure was all well and truly alive. Dust and rocks and glitter and light, creating a fanastic kaleidiscope of danger that blinded the eyes. Luckily, Doctor Whooves depended on a lot more than just sight to keep alive - he'd been doing this a while, so he dodged between the debris, working to stay on top, flexing his incredible sense of timing... even as such, he took quite a few blows from smaller stones, bruising and knocking him around. Oh, this was gonna hurt in the morn- ... no, it was hurting right now. Yup.

But when it all cleared, he was on top of the debris. Celestia was there, peering at the rubble, the guards peeking around her wing, where he probably should have been - but he'd never much been one for standing still. He knew where he was going, though - those trapped guards had been right over here, and they might still have a chance! He dove into the pile with abandon, throwing rocks out of the way, getting behind the larger stones to brace himself and push them away. He dug down frantically, wanting to believe there *had* to still be a chance!

[Dio]

Celestia continued to sweep the light from her horn around her like a magical searchlight, feeling, grasping for anything that would let her know Luna was still there. The static from the Manasprite queen was gone now, leaving nothing but eerie silence in its wake. In spite of this, there was still interference from all around. The residual magic had not yet dispersed, leaving not only visible silvery sparkles among the rocks, but also glimmering incorporeal shards that glinted brightly in the darkness.

“LUNA!” She shouted again, her voice trailing off into a dry rasp.

The princess’ strained cries echoed in the darkness. Surely Luna had managed to shield herself as they had? Surely they had more time before the rest of the cistern caved in or they suffocated in the choking cloud? Celestia’s mind raced as she ran scenarios in her head at lightning speed. How would she find Luna? How would she treat her injuries when she did find her? What would she do if she was...

Celestia pushed the thought from her mind. Luna was alive. She had to be. There was still time. She could channel more energy into the spell, expand her barriers, light the darkness, and find her sister! She had to!

Suddenly, Celestia felt a tingle go up her spine. The search spell had discovered something beneath the rubble. Uncannily in sync with her thoughts, Doctor Whooves charged forward and began clawing madly at the dirt and broken rock that constituted the pile. There was something there. Could it be Luna? It had to be!

“DIG! NOW!” She ordered the guards. The two unicorns complied, shoving pulverized rock away and working together to lift larger chunks.

Reaching through the aether, Celestia grabbed hold of the large slab that had fallen atop the mound and pulled with telekinetic tendrils. Sweat dribbled down her neck, leaving glistening rivulets in the caked dust and grime that covered her otherwise white coat as she channeled what power was left inside into the lavender tendrils that wormed their way beneath the slab. Slowly but surely, the giant rock began to budge. The ground beneath their feet rumbled as the Doctor and the guards continued to dig away the debris at the foot of the slowly rising monolith.

With one last might heave, Celestia broke the stone free of the ground, sending it flying across the cistern to shatter into a thousand pieces on the far wall. Her roar of exertion and anger faded into pants of exhaustion, having had to pull the magic from her body’s own reserves rather than drawing on the turbulent aether in the base of the cistern. It had been a long time since she had pushed herself as she just had, but now was neither the time to rest nor sit on her laurels.

The guards continued to excavate, revealing a shimmering dome of translucent blue that once lay beneath the monolith. Having caught her breath and witnessed the unearthing of what could only be her sister’s barriers, Celestia galloped to the edge of the dome.

“I'm here, Luna!” She said, tears streaming across her cheeks. "I'm here!"

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Every second that ticked by felt like a minute, and every minute, an hour. Were it not for the guards under her protection, she likely wouldn't have been able to even stand this long. But their safety was what pushed her on. Even if they weren't conscious, they were alive, and she'd come to far to simply give up and let all of them die now. Had she only had her own well being to worry about, it might have been a different story.

Her ears perked at the muffled sounds of scraping above her. Could it really be? Even though her heart felt like it might pound out of her chest, and she was gasping for breath, she felt a surge of adrenaline at the prospect of relief from her burden. The longer she listened, the louder the scraping got. She thought she might've heard voices too, but her focus was still on keeping the shield up.

The inside of the shield was suddenly filled with light from an outside source. Luna looked up to see what she could only assume was Celestia, her horn a bright beacon. The edges of her field of vision widened as the guards worked from the top down to clear away the rubble. They were... they were actually safe.

But, to be sure, Luna prepared herself for a last burst. She couldn't risk anything loose falling and injuring a guard. Not after they'd come so far. She took deep, meaningful breaths, storing up strength inside herself and taking a stance best suited for the spell ahead.

Then, with a swift flick of her head, the shield rapidly expanded outward, pushing away anything in its path. She cried out, the last of her energy spent, and the yell being the final boost that was needed. She wanted to be sure that the area around them was clear of any possible falling rocks or rubble, and she only had one shot. The shield expanded outward just a few feet, before it dissipated into the air.

As the dust settled around her, Luna pulled herself out of the formerly shielded area to stand atop the rocks circling the outside. She could feel her legs shaking, but she was so relieved to be rescued. She had been prepared to meet her end down her in the dark, but today was not the day. She took a step toward Celestia, but lost her footing, and her legs buckled. Luna's legs and side scrapped against the ground, but she had strength for nothing more than a whimper to express her pain.

But after a moment, she managed to gasp out, “Celestia. You made it.” Relieved tears welled up in her eyes as she laid upon the rough and jagged stone.

[Bramble Rose]

Doctor Whooves stepped back before Celestia's impressive determination, admiring her strength, her emotion. A side so few ever had a chance to see...

Well, this truly had been an adventure! Two princesses, a terrible monstrous menace, ponies saved, a kingdom saved! was that five times, now? Or six? Depended on how you counted. Maybe even seven or eight. Course, this time the princesses were here. They'd probably give him praises and honor. Throw a dinner in his name, ribbons and medals, maybe make him a knight! Make a stained glass window out of him! Everyone would know who he was!

He shuddered at the thought. What a mess! Well, they were all busy being mushy and whatnot. The guards safe, the princesses safe ... time to take his leave, before everything got complicated.

He swaggered away modestly ducking only a moment to slip a rock out of the way and come up with a large, bright green egg balanced on his nose, speckled with pink spots. "Ah there you are, your majesty," he murmured softly to the egg, and danced off through the door to the staircase. "Well, then, let's get you off to someplace where you won't be feeding on a lot of magic, shall we?" His quiet hoofclops retreated up the stairs - hopefully before anypony would ever notice him missing.

[Dio]

The dome burst outward in one last act of defiance against the stacked stone. As the dust swirled about, the silhouette of an alicorn princess stumbled uneasily out of the debris, quickly followed by those of several unicorns. She’d saved them-- every last one. Celestia quickly moved to Luna’s side, enveloping her with her protective barriers as her legs buckled, sending her to the ground.

“Celestia. You made it,” she rasped.

“I had to,” Celestia said as she picked her sister up in her forehooves and tearfully embraced her. “After all, I made a promise...”

The assembled company stood in silence, their faces bathed in the soft glow of magic as the sisters were reunited. Celestia held her sister close, gently wiping the caked dust and tears off her face with a wingtip. Suddenly, Celestia realized that the glow was too strong to be emanating from the edge of her barriers several yards away. The Sun Princess looked down at her sister.

“Luna...” Celestia gasped in surprise. “Your mane!”

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Luna was a little too busy inwardly rejoicing that she was alive to notice the brown Earth pony slipping away. She would probably recall his presence later, when this was over and she could clear her head. After all, he'd been a crucial part to their adventure into the very belly of Canterlot Castle, and though this might not make it into the history books, Alicorns did not soon forget things.

She gasped and stiffened at the sudden embrace from Celestia, but loosened up after a moment and allowed herself to be comforted by her sister's warmth and touch. Relieved tears welled up in her eyes, and she returned the hug, letting her head rest on the white Alicorn's chest. Her breathing was shaky, and she couldn't find any words to say.

But at the mention of her hair she pushed away, looking up wide eyed at her sister. A second later she had her eyes shut tight, and her hooves covering them as an extra measure. “What? What's happened to it? Just tell it to me straight, don't beat around the bush!” She shook her head back and forth, wondering just how terrible it looked and what the hay could have happened to it. Her mane felt all there, but she couldn't deny that now she that she was focusing on it that it felt different somehow. It was lighter, perhaps, or maybe just not there at all and it was her mind playing tricks on her. She kept her eyes covered and waited for the news on her coiffure.

[Bramble Rose]

Doctor Whooves climbed up the stairs with a soft step, feeling ever-so-lighthearted. A small, knowing smirk spread across his lips as he softly, proudly whispered, "And that's the sort of princess you are..."

Back in the collapsed chamber, a small music box that had been left behind clicked, and opened up. A tiny silver moon lifted out of it, and started to spin, and tinny, tinkling little music sounded forth - and ancient song, one that even Luna should be able to recognize ...

Fly me to the moon

Let me play among the stars

Though dust was everywhere, the princess of the night didn't seem to have a speck on her. Her dark coat was as deep as eternity, and the night sky sparkled in the brilliance of her mane as it waved on an unseen wind, rippling through the air and proclaiming her majesty.

Fill my heart with song

And let me sing for ever more

[Dio]

“It’s...” Celestia paused a moment as she gently ran a hoof over her sister’s mane, hardly believing her eyes at first. “... just as it should be.”

Where there was once merely hair, there was something much, much, more. The dust that had once clung to her mane and tail slowly fell away, gradually revealing the whole majesty of the princess of the night. The full resplendence of the night sky blossomed in Luna’s mane-- quasars, pulsars, swirling galaxies, shifting nebula clouds and star clusters; all suspended in the midnight blue of flowing aether. A smile spread across Celestia’s face as she held her sister.

“Your magic has returned, Luna,” the sun princess said. “Welcome back!”

“I hate to interrupt your majesties,” one of the guards quipped. “But the cavern is no longer stable. It would be best if we left as soon as possible.”

“Indeed,” Celestia said, standing up. She offered her hoof to Luna. “Let’s head back to the surface... together.”

[MyLittlePonyTales]

[colour=#000080]Luna flinched at first when Celestia's hoof came in contact with her. Her sister had paused, and she couldn't yet tell what verdict her words would hold. But a pause made it sound worse than better, and Luna's stomach began to twist with worry. Was it gone? Merely singed? Luna swallowed. She had to calm down. There was nothing she could do at the moment to change however it may have looked, so she'd just have to suck up her panic until they at least got back to the surface and daylight.

But as Celestia ran her hoof through her mane, Luna felt a slight tug on her head, a sign that there was, definitely, still a mane actually present. She put a hoof behind her head, feeling all around and through her hair, and then turned to check her tail, which was much easier to view. She grasped at her mane, pulling it around her shoulders so her eyes could see it. Mane and tail both shimmered like the sky, flowing and waving of their own accord even though there was no wind.

“It... it has.” she said in disbelief, still looking at the glowing hair. It wasn't that she had been entirely without her magic, but she certainly had been lacking in it since her purification by the Elements of Harmony. It had left her weak, for the first few weeks in body, and for a few months after in magic. She had assumed she would have to train all over again and strengthen herself, but it seemed the power had been dormant and lying within.

She embraced her sister once again, happy that they were both alive and safe. Indeed, all present were alive and mostly unscathed... it seemed only Celestia had telltale signs of wear. Luna took the next few moments to calm herself, still trying to process that they had all really made it and she wasn't dreaming. She had her magic back, which also meant control of the moon, and everypony... everypony was miraculously alive.

But it couldn't last. Outside Celestia's protective shield, the dust was still settling and the cavern still adjusting itself after the intentional cave in. Such a large movement of stone and the earthquake that followed surely didn't help stabilize the chamber. The sooner they were out of there, the better.

Luna took a deep breath and sighed. “Alright.” she was still shaken up from the whole ordeal, but now wasn't the time to show weakness. She grasped her sister's hoof in her own resolutely, and then they were on their way. Luna felt rejuvenated and exhausted at the same time, but at least she felt like herself again.[/colour]

[Dio]

Taking one last glance at the pile of rubble that was once the queen’s nest, Celestia could not help but feel a pang of guilt. She had just snuffed the life of another organism. While the tomes in the library would surely confirm her guess that the manasprite queen’s spirit remained very much alive, the destruction of its physical body was still mildly disconcerting. Celestia pulled Luna back onto her hooves, gently nuzzling her cheek as she rose. She turned towards the exit, motioning to the guards to follow, moving slowly so as to keep the barrier around the lot of them.

[colour=#ee82ee]“From the void you came and to the void you shall return...”[/colour] she whispered into the aether.

It was then that Celestia realized just how tired and dirty she was. It had indeed been a very trying day. It would be magnificent to trot back to her private quarters for a proper relaxing evening. The Princess wanted few things more than a long soak in a hot bath and a glass of Starberry Merlot at the moment. But first things were first.

[colour=#ee82ee]“Doctor... I can’t thank you enou-”[/colour] Celestia said, suddenly pausing when she realized she was speaking to empty air.

The earth pony was nowhere to be found. The princess snorted, partly in amusement and partly in exasperation. She should have suspected as much. For as long as the order had been around in Equestria, they had never been ones to take credit or responsibility for their actions. The doctors were merely the invisible hooves that nudged things along in the background, protecting Equestria the only way they knew how. Celestia couldn't fault them for that. It was perhaps best to leave them to their own devices, whatever those might be.

Fly me to the moon

Let me play among the stars

As the song gently unwound into the darkness, the Princesses and their entourage made their way up the winding staircase. Up, up through the corridors of ancient stone, steeped in dust and cobwebs and shrouded in the faint aroma of damp earth.

Fill my heart with song

And let me sing for ever more

Up, up through quiescent soil and carved marble until the entourage had cleared the confines of the dungeon ways. Celestia dispelled her barriers as they surfaced, leaving a glittering trail behind as the dust from the cistern fell away.

Finally, they reached the surface. Celestia stretched her wings as she stepped out of the dungeon entrance and out of the shade of the colonnade, basking in the warmth of the sun. She put a front leg over Luna’s shoulder, smiling a great smile as she looked out over the terraces of Canterlot, the greenery of the Whitetail Wood, the quaint houses of Solstice Heights, and in the distance the great apple orchards of Ponyville.

[colour=#ee82ee]“Welcome home, sister,”[/colour] she said, slightly bleary-eyed. [colour=#ee82ee]“Now come! Let us get cleaned up. We must celebrate the return of your magic. All of Canterlot awaits!”[/colour]

(( fin? ))