You instinctively take a step back in response to the blinding flash, cradling the Orb close to your chest with both hands and crouching low to the deck in order to keep it safe. The rest of the ponies follow suit, some crying out in surprise or fear as they avert their eyes.

But as quickly as the light appeared, it vanishes once again, as if the sun were suddenly extinguished in the middle of the day. You cautiously open one eye in an attempt to get your bearings, a chorus of shocked pony voices ringing out before your irises can even manage to adjust.

“Holy horseapples, it’s gone!”

“My word!”

“Wowsers!”

“What in tarnation?!”

You blink a few times and turn your head to the portion of the rail where all the crew has gathered. The Harbinger remains in the sky where you last saw it, shrieking pony spirits swirling around the damaged vessel like small gnats near a lamppost at night. At first you’re unsure what the ponies are all so distraught over, but then you realize...

The section of sky which once held the rapidly sinking Concordia is empty!

You rush over to the rail and peer at the portion of the city where the crash would’ve taken place. Nothing. No signs of damage or any sort of disturbance. A glance through your binoculars reveals not even a single piece of debris on the ground...

“What the hell just happened?” you shout.

Unlike the others, Celestia doesn’t seem surprised at all as she looks to the crippled airship’s last position. The tears which flowed from her beautiful eyes mere moments ago have dried and her expression seems to be a mix of both contemplation and resignation. You open your mouth to speak to her, but before the words can emerge, the day’s next surprise decides to make itself known.

There’s a crackle of energy followed by a short burst of light. A rift opens nearby and to everyone’s amazement, out tumbles the Princess of the Night. She crashes into the deck and somersaults forward a few times before coming to a stop near your feet, her limbs splayed in all directions, mane and tail matted and wild as if she just rolled out of bed after getting only an hour of sleep. The rest of the ponies are frozen in place at the sight, save for Celestia who quickly trots over to stand at your side.

Slowly, Luna lifts her head and blinks her eyes a few times before training them on you.

“Move...”

She mutters the word in her typical bitchy tone, pausing to shake her head and clear her dizziness away. You cross your arms and frown, biting back the urge to tell her off, when her eyes suddenly snap to attention and she leaps to her hooves, her face mere inches from your own.

“Move! Move! Move the ship! MOVE THE SHIP! WE HAVEN’T TIME!!”

Celestia steps back in shock. “Lulu... you didn’t...”

“We had no choice! We needed a suitable nearby focus for the spell! For the love of the Moon, MOVE THE SHIP, APE!!”

As much as you hate to admit it, when Luna yells at you to do something, you feel a strange compulsion to get it done. You rush over to the ship’s controls, still not fully understanding why she’s so insistent...

...until a huge flaming piece of hull tumbles from somewhere above you, nearly clipping the Dawn Star’s prow as it plummets to the earth.

“HOLY—!!”

Without any further doubt or hesitation, you slam the throttle into reverse. The ship sails backwards at max speed, and as it does the burning mass of the Concordia comes into view once more.

Rainbow’s jaw drops at the sight. “It was bucking ABOVE US?!”

“Ah... ah just... how in the hay...?” Applejack falls back on her haunches next to her, completely at a loss.

“What did I just say about language?!” Rarity manages to tear her gaze away in order to give both of them a disapproving look before gulping and returning her attention to the spectacle once again.

You don’t stop moving until you’re nearly a mile away from the sinking ship. With the storm now dispersed, all of you have a completely unobstructed view as you watch the great vessel’s remains smash into a large swath of open farmland near Canterlot Mountain’s southeastern edge. There’s a deafening crash followed by an erupting pillar of earth centered at the point of impact, which sends dirt and debris raining upon the other sunken airships of Luna’s fleet and the landed lifeboats from the Concordia arrayed nearby only one field over. A series of small shields appear around the survivors on the ground, the unicorns among them diligently channeling to protect their comrades from the resulting hail of fire, splinters, and stones.

Yet despite all the carnage, the Princess of the Night closes her eyes and smiles at the sight.

“It is done... the city has been spared. For the moment, at least...”

Luna releases the breath she was holding and falls back to the deck in utter exhaustion, the adrenaline in her system finally wearing off.

“Lulu...!”

Celestia kneels by her side, and all the other ponies quickly gather around the collapsed alicorn. For the first time, you notice that the mystical, starry properties of her mane and tail are strangely absent now, leaving what appear to be azure strands of hair in their place, much like Cel’s strawberry curls. She takes in large gulps of air for a few moments, her chest heaving, before focusing her gaze on her sister.

“Moving... an object... of such a size, including all its separated pieces, is quite taxing without an amplifier. We dearly hope... we won’t need to make a habit of this, though knowing your protégé we fear this is merely wishful thinking...”

Celestia smiles and shakes her head. “She’s still young and has much left to learn, so I suspect you’re right. Especially when you take our own history into account.”

The tired alicorn sighs, ears drooping. “Please do not remind us. We don’t think we can cope with any more past mistakes resurfacing this day...” She lifts her head and turns it toward the Harbinger, still stationary far in the distance, and Celestia’s gaze follows.

“It’s just like with Balios a millennia ago,” she says. “The Shard’s manipulation of its bearer, the chamber and the emergence of the spirits...”

Luna nods. “Indeed, little doubt remains. Though this time the abominable device is married to a powerful mobile weapon which we were unable to destroy. Despite the damage it suffered, it is still far beyond the capability of the military to contain, and with the Concordia lost and our magic nearly exhausted, we fear there is little hope of stopping it.”

Fluttershy trembles nearby, retreating into her mane. “So... so you’re saying there’s nothing we can do...?”

“But that can’t be true! What about Twilight?!” Pinkie pleads, more concern on her face than you think you’ve ever seen before.

Luna flashes the scared ponies a tired smile. “There is little hope, but that does not mean none exists. As long as there are those willing to stand up for the weak, to shepherd the lost, and to teach those who seek truth, the evils of this world shall never prevail.”

She turns to Celestia, her cyan eyes meeting her sister’s own, and her soft smile still present.

“There is a story, long lost to the ages, of two scared fillies who swore an oath to do all these things in the face of the insurmountable, despite their inability, ignorance and imperfections. And though they stumbled many times along the way, their resolve forged a lasting harmony that to this day, and through countless trials, remains unbroken. And we are certain that tomorrow still, unbroken it shall remain.”

A single midnight blue hoof is carefully placed level upon the deck, followed by another, and then two more as the Princess of the Night rises, her legs still shaking from her exhaustion. She nearly stands eye to eye with Celestia now, and you feel like you can almost hear the unspoken words traveling between them. Luna turns away first, stepping toward and then around the white alicorn, stopping just as their shoulders meet. Using the same calm tone, she utters the words:

“Sister... thou art needed.”

Celestia closes her eyes, a similar tired smile forming on her lips.

“I know.”

The two intertwine their necks together in a pony-hug, and again you see the glimmer of tears as they form in your loved one’s eyes.

“It... must’ve been difficult to watch your big sister so easily turn away from her responsibilities, especially so soon after your return. Even I was surprised by how deeply I wanted this chance. I suppose I rationalized it away by telling myself it was likely never to come, and then when it finally did I was left unprepared to answer my heart’s yearning cry.”

Luna sniffles as she leans into her sister. “It was disconcerting, yes. We always felt that of the two of us, thou wert the greater in strength of will and devotion to the oath. But despite all that happened, we do not blame thee. Though it angered us, we fully understood thy feelings. After our own rebellion and the thousand years that followed, how could we not?”

“I know, Lulu. I suspected as much when you banished me from Canterlot for a hundred years. I recognized it instantly... you weren’t punishing me, you were attempting to give me a gift.”

The smaller alicorn sighs. “Would that you could have had all hundred, but it appears it was not meant to be.”

Celestia’s tired smile becomes radiant as she pulls back from the hug and blinks away her tears. She turns to you, those deep, storied eyes meeting your own.

“It’s alright. Though the time was brief, I can safely say that I enjoyed every minute of it, from the bottom of my heart.”

She moves until she’s standing in front of you now, that deeply conflicted expression from before stealing her smile away.

“Anon... my precious human. I don’t know how to ask this of you; I dearly wish I didn’t, but I...”

You place your free hand upon her cheek, brushing a falling tear away with your thumb.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to say it.”

She sniffles and leans into your palm. “I know I told you this would be your choice, and I know I told you I would respect your decision. But Anon, I truly felt that given enough time to reflect, and given that I could properly express my love for you, you would eventually choose to join me. You likely don’t understand the fear I hold for the day you’ll be taken from me by time. There are many tragedies I’ve borne, but this... I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to recover...”

You move in and share a tender kiss with her, mixing your breath as you pull apart.

“A wise mare once told me that since the past is the past and the future is unwritten, we should learn to focus on the present. You just said you enjoyed every minute of our time together, and I feel the same way. If that time really is limited, then let’s put fear aside and make the most of it. Remember our promise?”

“I remember. And I’ll be leaning on you, my human, so please be there to hold me.”

You chuckle, your fingers dancing through the fringe of her mane. “I’ll try my best, but you’re a pretty big pony, Cel.”

“Oh. So you’re saying I’m fat, then.” Though she attempts to assume an annoyed tone, her smile betrays her.

“I’m saying you’re my big pony. And again, it’s one of the many, many, many reasons I love you.”

Your hand trails down her neck and she pulls you into a hug, her one unbandaged wing wrapping you in a soft embrace. You bring your other hand up as you step away, opening your fingers to reveal the Orb of Ascension shining in your palm.

“You told me to treasure this, and I do. But I treasure you more, and that’s why I offer it to you willingly. A treasure for a treasure... a decent exchange, don’t you think?”

Her hoof reaches forward and hesitantly touches the Orb, which shines even brighter as the magic within it surges. She smiles and blinks a few tears away.

“If... if you were to propose to me right now, I’d accept this in place of a ring.”

You laugh and shake your head, a few unbidden tears of your own escaping.

“One thing at a time, you crazy horse.”

She giggles again, then carefully swallows the stone. The surrounding ponies all take a cautious step back as if expecting some kind of huge spectacle to occur, but after several moments there doesn’t seem to be any noticeable change in Celestia’s appearance. She trots in place, lazily stretching each individual limb, with an unreadable expression on her face.

Surprisingly, it’s Fluttershy who breaks the uncomfortable silence.

“Um... did it work?”

Celestia doesn’t answer. Instead, she curls up on the deck, her back presented to you and a pleading look in her eyes. You immediately recognize what she wants, and even though you don’t understand why, her expression compels you to go along with her request. Once again, you walk over and straddle that broad white back and she rises to her hooves. You can feel her muscles move and stretch as she tests them and adjusts herself to your weight before trotting over to the ship’s rail where the Harbinger is looming far in the distance.

“It’s already been proven that my words will not reach her, Anon. I fear that nothing I say at this point will be enough. But you... you can likely sway her heart, which is why I’ll need you with me.”

“Okay, but what’re you—”

She turns her head to address the others.

“The rest of you... please keep a safe distance away. It’s difficult to predict how she’ll react, especially now that the resonance chamber’s been damaged.”

Mac nods. “Don’t you worry none, ah’ll keep us out’a harm’s way.”

“Thank you,” she replies, taking a few steps away from the rail and turning now to her sister. “No slight meant to you, Lulu, but I feel that this night has lasted long enough.”

Luna smiles, nodding in agreement. “Indeed. ‘Tis time to begin the day. Our little ponies yearn for their sun.”

And then the younger sister’s soft smile turns mischievous as her gaze moves to you.

“A word of advice. Resist the urge to close your eyes. You shall thank us later.”

...What?

Celestia turns and trots to the opposite rail, this time facing the yellow and orange band of light that divides the land from the sky. She breathes deep of the cool night air, then takes several steps back.

“Whoa. Whoa, wait a minute, Cel. Don’t get any ideas. Your wing’s still—”

A warm smile forms upon her lips as she turns her head back, her wild strawberry mane dancing in the wind.

“Cast your fear aside and lean on me, Anon. I’m here with you, now and forever.”

Once again, she faces the hidden sun in the distance, her smile undiminished. The horizon’s light dances in her eyes as it highlights the stark contrast between her white coat and the many bandages and burns that cover her injured body.

Her one good wing twitches, almost daring to flutter, and the other strains against its restraints.

You can feel her every movement through your shared contact, and through them you can feel her yearning as she reaches out to some unseen force beyond the veil.

A step back, and then another. Her body tenses, and then she is free as she runs and leaps above the rail.

You lose all sense of weight and balance as you both plummet toward the ground below.

A scream nearly escapes your lips, but dies in your throat when your attention is captured by the strange warmth radiating from her.

The fields near the base of the mountain grow ever closer.

The warmth burns the bandages away.

You grip her mane even tighter.

You force your eyes to remain open.

You trust in her, and two white wings unfurl.

And with a beat of those wings, she levels off at the very last moment, so close to the ground that you can nearly reach out and touch the tall reeds growing in the field below.

She doesn’t attempt to rise, instead following the contours of Canterlot Mountain’s foothills as they pass by underneath you.

You glance to the side, and to your amazement her injured wing, its feathers once burned away by the Trials, is now fully healed.

The many wounds which once marred her body, gone.

You feel a strange sensation in your palms, and turn back to see her mane beginning to shimmer.

The strawberry curls, now warm to the touch, lose their definition and melt into one another.

You glance behind you to witness her tail leaving a pale pink trail in the sky, as if she were a paintbrush moving across a canvas.

A band of cobalt blue emerges, intertwining with the pink, almost indistinguishable from the midnight blue sky.

Bright turquoise is next, borne from the other colors with its own distinctive shine.

And finally, the cerulean streak appears, the color of the summer sky on a sunny day.

The four colors merge and dance together before aligning into their own distinctive bands within her mane and tail, and the warm, familiar ethereal light of your memory is made real once again.

The pastel rainbow trail she leaves behind diffuses into the darkness the further she flies, its colors fading away with distance but the sparkling bursts of light within them still lingering in the air like fireflies.

You can feel the joy flow through her as she stretches her legs and places them upon the ground, her wings still spread wide and capturing the air, to playfully gallop along before the next beat pulls the both of you just high enough for her hooves to lose contact with the earth.

She beats her wings once more and focuses her gaze on the burning horizon, a familiar golden aura encompassing her horn.

Her magic moves through you and into the distance.

You can feel it now. The sun pulses with light and life. It mirrors her heartbeat, which in turn mirrors your own.

She reaches out, and you feel it.

Your own arm reaches too, imitating her magic, even if you’re not sure if you can grasp it.

She takes hold of the great star, and through her you can feel its weight in your palm.

With a grand beat of her wings, she soars into the sky, straight upward, and pulls.

You feel the weight in your hand shift, and you pull as well.

You want to help, even if you’re not sure you can.

With one hand on her mane, and the other thrust downwards toward the horizon, you struggle against the unseen force as she climbs higher and higher.

And then it shifts...

And the sun begins to rise.

The light of dawn stretches across the world.

As it always has, as it always will.

You watch in awe as it pushes the darkness away.

The fields come alive, the dew clinging to the reeds sparkling like diamonds.

The lights of Canterlot dim as the spires of ivory and gold brighten.

The Dawn Star lingers in its rightful place in the clear blue sky.

You can feel the eyes of your friends upon you now, even if they’re far away. But that’s not all...

Through this great magic, you feel as if every pony in Equestria is watching the sky.

They were waiting for this. They were yearning for the sun.

Celestia twirls in the air as she ascends.

Her grasp has not wavered. Still she pulls, and still the great orb moves.

Higher and higher, following the both of you.

She knows where it needs to be. Her body and her heart remember.

For over 2,000 years, this has been her sacred duty.

And for a moment, you swear you could almost see the memory of the first time she hesitantly reached beyond the sky to capture the sun.

You put as much strength as you can muster into your arm.

For if you can ease her burden through this, if only a little, you want to try.

You lean into her, and you can feel her smile as it moves throughout her body like a wave.

“Just a little more, my human...” she whispers to you over the wind.

You steel your resolve as she flies ever faster.

Your grip tightens along with hers.

And then you feel something else... some piece of knowledge that you suddenly come to know intuitively.

You know where to place it. You know the path, and her intentions, and you prepare for it.

She pulls back, thrusts forward, and releases the star.

You heave in tandem with her, casting it toward its destination.

It finds its path in the heavens, its perfect place, a corona of light flowing outward.

And for the first time in your life, you’re able to look upon it directly without being blinded.

She opens her wings, the sun acting as a halo surrounding the silhouette of her body.

The gaps between her feathers spread the rays of early morning across the open fields to signify the day’s beginning.

And proclaim the return of Celestia, Goddess of the Sun.

After a brief pause, she allows herself to fall upon an updraft, gliding away from the sun, and you tear your gaze away to witness a world transformed.

The rivers running through the land sparkle with light as they flow.

The shadows of early morning fall across the floors of the nearby forests.

The mountains, their proud peaks perpetually covered with snow, seem to shine in the distance.

The wispy white clouds make their way through the sky and texture the fields below.

Flowers open in response to the light. Animals stir, their sense of balance and time restored.

And ponies... it’s as if you can feel their spirits brighten along with the world around them.

But these aren’t the only things transformed.

The pony before you... your Cel... she’s just as she was when you first met her.

Her multicolored mane and tail dance in the unseen magical wind.

You can feel the raw strength of her magic, nearly boundless, nearly peerless.

And you can feel her age as she gazes out across this world she’s chosen to shepherd until the end of time.

The earth pony, Celosia, is still there, buried. Still a fundamental part of who she was, and who she’ll come to be in the future.

But she can never return to that life, no matter how much she wishes otherwise.

Her emotions flow through you via the odd magical link forged between you by the rising sun, and though that link is fading, they still ring clear in your thoughts.

She’s proud of what she’s done... of this Kingdom she forged together with her sister. She looks down upon it and knows that it is good.

But still, in this moment, in the light of the morning she made, she mourns Celosia.

Your hand reaches out to pet the side of her neck and she laughs.

“It was a beautiful dream while it lasted. Selfish, immature, unrealistic... but beautiful nonetheless.”

Her eyes wander to the Harbinger and the countless spirits which swirl around it.

Yours wander to the fields below, to the sunken airship fleet and the wreckage of the Concordia.

Your fingers dance through that ethereal mane, the texture so much different than the strawberry curls you’ve grown accustomed to.

“Would you take any of it back?”

She shakes her head.

“Never. Were I to allow myself to think like that; to think of what I could have or should have done throughout my long life... the weight of my guilt and remorse would never allow me to stand again.”

She turns in the air and takes wing toward the Harbinger without fear.

“All I can do is press on... learn, and attempt to forge each new day better than the last.”

You feel the warmth of the sun at your back, the wind as it swirls around you, and her sorrow as it slowly diminishes within the light of a newfound hope.