The dawn came sooner than expected, as Arin jerked from a knock on the door. His eyes turned to the window; sunrise. The dawn has come again.

Without a word from the other side, the handle turned quietly, Celestia peeking into the room.

“Ah, Arin. You’re awake, wonderful. I was wondering if you would accompany me to breakfast? We have much to discuss, and little time to discuss it. I will give you a moment to prepare.”

The door clinked shut, the Seraph slipping out of the bed and onto his damaged foot. He was happy to find that the pain had lessened dramatically, though he would still need his crutch. Slipping his shoes on proper, his vest held his torso tight. He gave it a knock again – it was still rock solid. Maybe he should inquire about its origin?

Socks and boots equipped, he hobbled to the door and gave it a turn. Two guards had found themselves in front of the door again, guarding it as per usual. Celestia waited patiently, her warm smile ever present.

“Good morning, sleepy head. Let’s be quick – my agenda is much too full to dawdle.” She made her way down the hall, as Arin hobbled up to her side.

“I have good news, Celestia! I have made another friend.” Arin sparked, his features shining. “You’ll never guess who, either.”

“Oh? You hadn’t even left Canterlot yet, and you’re finding yourself in pleasant company? That’s a good sign. What is their name?”

“Luna!” He said, clicking his crutch. Celestia stopped in her tracks, the guards accompanying them from behind standing to attention.

“My Sister? My, you are fast. I’m happy to hear you two get along so well. What brought along this?” Her pace resumed, a little quicker to keep up with Arin. He seemed a little lost in thought.

“Well, when I met her at my door, she asked if I’d like to join her on her duties, and I agreed. I find her quite agreeable and comforting to talk to, and she offered to be my friend.” They rounded the corner, heading towards an all too familiar dining hall.

“Peculiar. My sister isn’t known well for her… well, her inclusive nature. But I’m happy to hear that she’s finally made a friend. A real friend, that isn’t a creature, like the central garden’s opossums, or an owl. And one from this era!” The same oak doors came into view, and they both silently slipped inside.

Arin was pleasantly surprised to see Luna face planting the table. She seemed tired, after a long night’s work.

“I take it your duties are more intense than I was led to believe, since at the end of each other’s days, you’re both absolutely exhausted.” Arin noted, walking over to Luna’s side of the table to give her a poke.

She mumbled something in her doze, turning her face to lay flat on the dining surface. A small puddle of drool had formed beneath her.

“It’s… typical, yes. We have much on our plates, and while it may not seem like much, both of our work is extensive and draining. Luna channels magic all night, I must deal with headaches all day. In the castle, there are no ‘good days’ for us.” Celestia seated herself on the left side of the table, as per usual. Arin, once more, took center.

“Typically I would make us both breakfast, but today I have little time to waste. Instead, we will be served by the kitchen staff again – Arin, I placed an order for you. I hope you don’t mind; I tried to cater to your needs with what we had. But enough idle chatter, let’s turn our heads to some important issues.”

Luna stirred, blinking her eyes open with a yawn. Wiping her cheek, she looked up to Celestia.

“Morning…” She said quietly. Celestia nodded.

“Arin, I want to know more of the event that struck your world. I think the wording is a ‘Great Cataclysm’ of sorts, and I have been exceptionally curious of the origin of this catastrophe. Would you inform us both, please?” Celestia gave an inquisitive stare to her guest, who nodded.

“Alright… let’s see. I’ll try to start from the beginning, it’s a bit of history and hard for someone like me to piece together.

“In my world, Seraphs – the Ascended specifically – are the ruling class. We our led by a single Ruler, the Lion’s Heritage on Alma Sol; specifically just King Leotoln at the moment. Unfortunately, the Lion Clan had not reigned flawlessly over Erenorn – they had fought for dominance among other clans, and had only recently came into power by overthrowing the House of Ravens. That is, around three hundred years ago – which is recent in Seraph’s time.

“King Leotoln had made many bitter enemies with not just the now Fallen Ravines, but the Arrow of Narma and the Twin Spears of the South. In his reign, he had essentially committed a genocide against the Ravens – bringing the wrath of their allies, the Twin Spears. Their leaders – the Brothers of Arms Elnor and Orin, claimed war on King Leotoln and the capitol, Alma Sol.

“This of course lead to a weakened moral from the populace – Inerts like me were not viewing Leotoln favorably over the past few hundred years, and there were talks of a coup to overthrow him in the more rebellious places. Word of strange, dark magics had formed, to, to rival him.

“The last news I heard from Alma Sol was from a cobbler in town, who just returned from the Capitol. Apparently there were talks of total annihilation, but it was just a rumor. A stupid one at that. But the Twin Spears – they meant it, apparently. A week later, a pillar of light erupted from the Corona of the Earth, just beyond Alma Soul. It struck the sun in a piercing blow.

“I saw it myself. When the light struck, the Sun shifted color, from a gold to a violent red, before a return beam slammed into the Corona. The whole world shook, and blasts of lava spewed from… everywhere. I still remember it, the spouts of hot sulfur just… erupting miles into the sky.

“Milla Serine, my town, was torn asunder. My house collapsed on me, crushing my leg. If it didn’t do just that, I might had run forward – and fell into the chasm that opened before me, that swallowed my entire town. I was left in shock, and I passed out for what felt like days. When I came to, an Ascended had pulled me from the wreckage.

“I was the only survivor of my town that I knew of. I was extremely lucky that I lived close to the forest, where the roots of the trees prevented the land beneath me from falling into the gorge, if only by inches. I was brought to Alma Sol from the sky. Nearly every single Inert was caught in the aftermath of this event – many died from raining brimstone, many more had the ground beneath them sucked away. This is what I was told.

“Hundreds more were killed by gas escaping the land. The only safe place from this event was the clouds, it seemed. Nearly every single creature and being on the land was destroyed by a terrifying blast wave, that had only just missed Alma Sol from its location in the mountain. The few Inert there died in rubble and wreckage, and the funneling earth just barely gave me sanctuary on a plateau.

“The estimated loss of life was in the hundreds of thousands. Our nation began to crumble before our eyes. The Ascended left in Alma Sol were to move to a new world from what I heard, on a distant planet beyond our star’s receding life, and soon. Alma Sol was not in a safe place, and aftershocks caused wings of the castle to collapse on the hour. I’m not sure how much damage was done, but to me, all was lost. The world itself, gone.

“The King gave me his canteen, told me that I was the only Inert left that they knew of, and said they were sending me to a different world. Or, at least, might be. If you agreed. If you didn’t, I would have possibly been enslaved, or killed, simply due to a lack of resources to manage a low class Seraph unable to protect themselves.”

Their waiter – carrying a cloche on his back – only listened in awe from the story. Luna was awake now, eyes wide as she imagined such an event. Celestia stared through him, lost in thought.

Her horn sparkled, and she lifted the cloche off the waiter’s back, setting it down with a thump. Lifting it, she immediately took a bit of whatever it was – Luna’s blueberry waffles, without thinking.

“This is a bit much to chew. So the Sun of your world obliterated it? And your people – the magical few that survived – abandoned you.” She said, studying the waffles. She had a feeling these weren’t hers.

“No, I wasn’t abandoned. I was spared. For whatever reason, the King decided to let me escape to this world… Equis, is it? Instead of dragging me along. The way he worded it… He was doing it as a final gesture of kindness, it seems, to someone who hardly deserved it. I don’t know why he didn’t bring his people here, too. I don’t even know how he knew of this place, or why, or why I’d come alone.”

The waiter had returned with another cloche, moving Celestia’s plate out of the way with his unicorn magic before setting the proper plate in front of her. A single pancake. It was rather small, too. Celestia frowned. She was enjoying Luna’s waffles. The night mare, on the other hand, gladly seized her plate back, only partially molested.

“This… it’s a lot to think about, Arin. For now, let’s change the subject. I have reached out to Honey Rose – and she agreed to meet you after lunch, for a conversation. But for the moment, her new position is a soft ‘maybe’ – she doesn’t wish to disturb you.” She attacked the pancake. Not even a berry? A hint of syrup? She found herself with a glass of water, too. The chefs were starving her.

Arin’s platter landed before him, and a warm smile filled his features. An omelet, a hearty looking one at that. No bacon, but definitely an improvement. He attacked it with his provided silverware, unafraid to leave his plate clean.

“That’s good news. Me and her really did get off on the wrong foot, and thank you again for doing all of this… well, for me. I hardly deserve it, and… well, I’m grateful.” He twirled his fork in the air, motioning to himself, the food, everything.

“Steel thyself, Arin! Of course thou deserves it – you have been through enough. We will guide you onward. Celestia herself has centuries of experience teaching our subjects, and you will be no different!” Luna beams, the bags under her eyes trying their best to drag her smile down. She picks up her waffles lazily, shoveling them into her mouth. Her silverware ignored.

“Actually Luna, I would like it if you could also help teach Arin, with what little you can. I know you’re lacking experience after more… recent events, but it would do you both well.” Celestia finished off her pancake with a sigh. How much longer will she suffer this diet? She has received nothing but compliments about her heavier weight – then again, it was mostly from stallion nobles, who can control their eyes as well as a dog restrains its urge to get intimate with one’s leg.

Luna gave a soft laugh, “Ha, wonderful joke Sister.”

Celestia’s eyes unwavered as Luna looked on.

“Oh. You’re not joking. Well, very well. What shall I teach him, then?”

“Magic.”

Arin choked on his eggs, coughing into his balled fist. Luna’s eyes shot open, her bags vanishing.

“H-He, no, he can’t learn magic! It’s too early!”

“What do you mean too early?! I can’t even use magic!”

Celestia only smiled as they both bickered to her, before giving a gracious nod.

“Arin, you can learn magic. I believe it would be wise to start early, as well. Inside of you rests an Ember of Magic – an exceptional one, but it’s entirely dormant. It just needs the right nudge, a spark will you – to light the flame. Luna, please help him find that spark. As my Sister, I feel it to be important.”

Arin fell back onto the heavy pillow he rested on, his mind racing. Maybe he isn’t an Inert at all? Maybe he can learn magic – whatever spell these ponies use to search for this ‘ember’, is entirely unknown to his world.

Perhaps other Inert had these Embers that simply needed awakening.

“I… I don’t even know where to start.” Luna said, looking at her hooves in confusion. “I don’t know advanced magic like this, this would be better suited for Twilight-”

“It would be better suited for Twilight, you are correct. But, this isn’t a lesson she needs to learn. This is a lesson for you, Luna. Not just Arin. And it’s a lesson you know the solution to. I trust in you, Sister.”

“How would I even find time? My duties-”

“Most of them can be handled by our Garden Staff, Lulu. You have grown so much, your flowers are strong and able to stand the test of time. But you need to expand your horizons to thrive. If not as a Princess, than as a Pony.” Celestia stood from the table, giving a soft bow to Arin. “I believe in you both. And Arin? After you speak with Honey Rose, would you give me a friendship report? I will be in Luna’s Garden.”

She headed down the long table, exiting through the heavy oak doors. Luna sighed heavily, resting her head in her hooves.

“You knew, didn’t you?” Arin said, sitting up on his pillow. “You could see it, too.”

“...Yes. We could. We knew all along that there was magic within you. But we don’t know how magic lessons could ignite it. A spark…” She rubbed her eyes, yawning. “It’s much too late for this. I need my rest. Seeing as I no longer have my early night duties, our time spent together will begin in my chambers. I will fetch you for supper, just… study well with your tutor. Our first few nights will clearly be… rough.”

The Night Princess left the room, her head hanging heavy on her shoulders. She wasn’t moping by any means – but the exhaustion and frustration weighed her down, for sure. Being the last one in the dining hall was a bit daunting, and he quickly finished up his omelet.

Well, at least he’ll be spending time with a friend. Right?