Hemera Origin: Part 2

>You are Celestia
>You watch as the doors to the throne room close behind a large number of ponies
>It's hard to get used to 'holding court' for all of those petitioners
>Every one of them with problems major or minor hoping that you can solve them
>Your mouth twitches in a smirk as you think how much easier
>this whole 'Princess' thing was when you and Luna were in the field
>fighting the cold war with Sombra's Crystal Empire
>The intrigues and paranoia could get exhausting but it was still pretty
>straight forward compared to acting as a real head of State
>You concentrate for a moment and bridge your unique connection to the sun
>Checking that its course and speed are still correct as you do every hour or so
>Starswirl would be proud
>Its already nearly ten in the morning
>You step off of the dais at the front of the room and stretch your wings
>Canterlot is nice, but there is definitely someplace you'd rather be
>You softly tap your hoof on the floor and the two guards at
>the foot of the dais snap to attention immediately
"How may we serve, your Highness?"
>You still can't get used to it, but they do their duty well
>"Please clear the throneroom. I don't wish to be disturbed until noon."
"By your command!"
>Quick and precise the guards move to positions outside the doors, closing them behind
>The guards really are effective. You think you should probably formalize their organization at some point
>Left to your own devices for a while your magic quickly envelops your horn
>A quick spell to produce gentle noises so that no one notices you're missing
>And a final burst of power finds you standing in the great hall of the Castle of the Two Sisters
>Or at least the parts of it that are currently constructed
>This main hall and some of the parapets are the only things finished as of yet
>But that's enough for your hidden project
>With another flick of magic in just the right place a gentle grinding noise fills the room
>It's hardly noticeable against the constant sounds of construction echoing around the place
>A large panel retracts in the center of the unused hall's floor
>revealing a complicated machine that then begins to rise into place
>The construct is not small, but its size is necessary to channel and focus
>the combined power of the Elements of Harmony placed at key points around the structure
>The pony elite balked when you requested a castle near the center of the Everfree Forest
>The castle itself was no issue, naturally the Princesses want to make their mark on Equestria
>But it was hard to sell when delegates from every major city from Manehattan to Las Pegasus
>Showed up to lobby their cities as the location for the new Royal establishment
>They couldn't understand, and you couldn't really explain that the castle HAD to be there
>Still they eventually relented. Luna eventually put her hoof down that this was what you wanted.
>You pass your magic over parts of the machine checking for defects and measuring its alignment
>against magical stresses. It was so much fun sitting up with Luna and inventing secret passages
>and tricks and traps to install all over the place. Just like you used to imagine a real castle
>was like when you were foals, but THIS castle will serve more than just your sense of whimsy
>Luna has noticed that you've been preoccupied since your 'victory' against Discord
>You've been spending less and less time with her as you've been doing constant research and
>managing your responsibilities toward your people
>It's not all your fault. She's been more distant as well, handling nearly all of the minute
>details of running the kingdom. All the appointments, paperwork, tiny bits and bobs...well
>she's better at those things anyway. You're better at talking to ponies directly. All of that tedious
>stuff just makes you uptight and bitter. She handles it WAY better.
"You've been keeping secrets, Tia."
>The quiet voice from behind you makes your shriek and fly straight to the ceiling before getting a hold of yourself.
>You glare toward the floor at your navy blue counterpart and try to land with as much dignity as you can
>Where did she learn to smirk like that?
>"Since when can you teleport in complete silence, Sister? I'm not the only one with secrets it seems.
>The jab was supposed to be lighthearted, but she immediately looks away and lowers her head.
>Well...serves her right for sneaking up on me
>"How did you know I'd be here?"
>Your voice is still a bit imperious, but not quite Royal Canterlot Voice
"I awoke a bit early and thought you might still be holding court. You always finish so early. There's only so many places you would be."
"I thought I could help."
>The last bit was almost a whisper
>"You don't need to concern yourself with all of that on top of your other responsibilities, Dear Sister."
>You take a deep breath to settle yourself. There's no need to take that tone with her. You open your mouth to apologize
"So you're still slipping away to continue your study on the Elements? This new machine thing is quite interesting"
"I would think that you've learned all that you possibly could. Shouldn't we return them soon to the Tree?"
>You quickly avert your gaze as she searches your face, you can't reveal your suspicions until you're sure.
>"The Elements are completely fine in such close proximity to the Tree. I've told you before. These are the most
>potent artifacts in all of Equestria. The more we know the better we can do what we've been called to do."
"Yes, but what exactly are you..."
>"I really don't have time for this right now, Luna. I only have a few hours before I have to meet a delegation from
>Saddle Arabia for lunch in Phillydelphia so we can work out the new trade accords, and then I have a full afternoon
>meeting with representatives from the Canterlot Mercantile Association about who knows what, and I have to get all of
>that done and settled before lowering the Sun so you can start putting through the necessary decrees to formalize everything
>It's going to be a long night for you, so don't you think you should go get some rest?"
>You put on your best 'Big Sister' face and tilt your head toward the door.
>Her ears drop slightly at the sudden barrage. She looks like she wants to say something else, but instead lowers her head and turns
"As you say, dear Sister."
>With that, her horn shimmers for a moment and she fades into a mass of mist and shadow that quickly exits through one of the open skylights
>"Huh..."you mutter, a bit dumbfounded. A transport spell that converts the user to water and shadow instead of air and light.
>You shake your head and get back to work examining and adjusting your complex ritual construct.
>She wouldn't take it well if you told her you suspected some sort of spell or curse from your recently defeated foe may be festering in both of you.
>At best she would demand you be examined, but you've already done all of that. Naturally nothing HE would do would be easy to detect.
>At worst she would think you'd gone 'round the twist. Well, that would play nicely into his claws now wouldn't it?
>It's taken months of research and experimentation, but you think you are very close to perfecting this device.
>Half Earth Pony style artifice, half unicorn arcane ritual it should do what anyone would call the impossible.
>Once it works, it will rid the subject of all traces of Chaotic influence, while maintaining a connection
>to it to prevent a catastrophic imbalance in the subject's astral body
>Sheer genius
>Still, you were a bit harsh on her. But she's matured so much as you've overcome trial after trial, practically without rest.
>You'll make it up to her later on. There's supposed to be a new baker opening a shop in Canterlot.
>Cake makes everything better.