Chapter 3

A Stage if you please

Back in Ponyville, having nowhere else to stay, Berry and Oliver were welcomed back inside the Apple Family’s house for an extra night. Apple Jack had brought over her friend Twilight Sparkle to meet them. Twilight was a young purple Alicorn and had been dubbed the third Princess of Canterlot. When Berry and Oliver met her they bowed in respect and shook her hoof. When she asked how their visit to Canterlot went, Oliver smiled and replied, “Better than expected! Celestia and Luna will let us know tomorrow about their decision!”

“Don’t get too excited dad,” said Berry frowning at his fathers over hyped attitude.

“Don’t be so negative Berry,” said Oliver kiddingly. “The Princesses will want this to happen and its time these ponies knew their story.”

“Hold on,” said Twilight stopping the old stallion there. “Story?”

“Yes, Princess,” said Oliver excitedly. “The story of how Celestia and Luna became who they are today!”

“I thought that everything about them are in the history book on Equestria?”

Oliver stared at Twilight observantly as if he had expected this from her and nodded understandably.

“Tell me Princess, Celestia has taught you ways of magic, but has she ever told about her and Luna’s past?”

“I don’t have to worry about that,” replied Twilight as if the matter wasn't of any big concern. “Princess Celestia told me everything I needed to know.”

“Well, what if I were to tell you that she hasn’t told you everything?”

“Dad!” Berry hissed. “Don’t talk to her highness like that! I’m sorry Princess, he can be a loose cannon sometimes.”

Twilight felt her heart drop. Did Oliver really believe that Celestia had kept something a secret from her student let alone the whole of Equestria. Trying to find a logical explanation for Celestia’s secrecy, Twilight thought that if it was true, it wasn’t her place to ask her or Luna about their past. After all, everything she knew was in the book she had read. It was the same book that had the tale of the “Mare in the Moon". Celestia had told her that it was just a bedtime story only to find out that her suspicions were correct and Nightmare Moon did come back to take her revenge. Even after all that, she and her friends found out from Celestia that an old foe that she and Luna fought back when they ruled together had risen from his imprisonment to once again bring Equestria into chaos. Was there another story from their past that Celestia hadn’t told her student about yet? What could it be? The possibilities were either another ancient monster from long ago, or another cursed kingdom that has been hidden from them and if fate would have it; she and her friends would have to find and possibly save it.

“What could you know that I don’t?” Twilight asked Oliver finally after a long pause.

She had hopped the question sounded like a casual throw away question, but she had a feeling that Oliver saw a trace of longing desire in her tone.

“Ahhh… That princess, will have to wait until tomorrow. For this story you won't find in any of your library books.” said Oliver, a slight twinkle formed in his eyes. “No need to spoil the surprise after all.”

That night when Twilight had returned to her tree house home, she lied awake wondering what Oliver had in store for her and the rest of Ponyville to hear? The more she thought about it the harder it was to fall asleep. It wasn’t until she felt her eyes begin shut on her did she finally drift off to sleep. The next day, Oliver and Berry had received a visit from Celestia. The Apple Family bowed to the white Alicorn who smiled sweetly at them and requested to have a word with Oliver alone.

“So, what do you want to ask me Princess?” asked Oliver once they were alone outside walking around the apple acres.

“It’s like this,” began Celestia. “Luna and I want to have our story told, but…”

“You’re not sure how everypony will take it,” Oliver finished for her. “I see what you mean. OK then, I think I know what to do.”

When Celestia and Oliver returned from their walk, she insisted that the Apple family meet the rest of Ponyville in the town square within the next hour and she will let the mayor know what is about to happen so there would be a crowd.

“Sounds like ya’ll have a plan!” said Granny Smith happily.

“Yes, we do!” replied Oliver just as excited. “Now that I have approval from the Princesses everything should come together easily.”

With the help of Twilight, she had been able borrow a blue unicorn’s stage she had usually used for her magic acts. She managed to convince her to lend it when she told her that it would be epicenter of history. The idea of her stage being a tool used to be apart of such an important event intrigued the unicorn and with an all to familiar selfish grin, she happily gave Twilight the stage. The ponies of Ponyville gathered around the town square as requested by the mayor and waited in silence. Princess Luna and Celestia arrived and thinking that this was the reason for the town meeting, the citizens of Ponyville bowed to them. When the two didn’t head to stage and took seats amongst the crowd the more curious the situation became. The Mayor came out on stage and addressed the town.

“Welcome everypony to an important historical event! Today we will be the first ever ponies of Equestria to hear about something the Princesses have just received after a thousand years of waiting!”

An uproar of thoughtful and excited murmurs spread through out the crowd and when the talking stopped Oliver came out on stage and took over for the Mayor. He looked out into the audience that had their full attention on him. He saw that Appple Bloom and several other fillies had made their way to the front and were looking up expectedly.

“Before I begin,” started Oliver. “I must ask if you are ready to hear something that has been known only to a few for the last thousand years?”

Again the crowd broke out in silent agreements towards one another.

“What I’m about to tell you is a story of how Princess Celestia and Luna became the rulers you all know today!”

He lifted up the old book he had brought with him on stage and held it up so the spectators could see it.

“But Mister, I thought that “The Mare in the Moon” was the tale of Princess Celsestia and Luna?” said Apple Bloom sharing the same confusion as the rest of Oliver’s audience.

“Indeed that is true,” said Oliver smiling down at her. “But that story is one of three that have been shortened.”

“You mean there’s more?” asked a white unicorn filly looking interested.

“Oh, yes, there is more…” replied Oliver, his eyes twinkling.

No one spoke and when Oliver looked around at the crowd he had drawn in. He patted the ancient book with his hoof and waited for a moment thinking on what he was about to do. He didn’t need to open the book for he had memorized every page.

“Very well,” he began to say with a smile. “Let’s start at the beginning, when the two sisters were still very young and had no idea that one day they too would rule over their land like their parents before them. The day when they would become Princesses of Equestria…”