Celestia walked with purpose, her gilded horseshoes clig softly against the marble floors as she he infirmary. The warm glow of the evening sun cast long shadows across the castle halls, but her mind was elsewhere.

  Anroup of ponies had arrived in Equestria, appearing suddenly ihrone room, exhausted and shaken. This was not the first time su event had occurred, aia doubted it would be the st. The stories were always simir—her sister, Luna, and her mysterious husband saving them from creatures wielding strange wands before sending them here.

  She pushed open the infirmary doors, stepping io find the new arrivals resting on cots, teo by castle staff. Their coats were still dull from malnourishment, and their eyes filled with lingering fear. But there was also relief, and when they saw her, they scrambled to sit up, bowing their heads in reverence.

  "Please, there is no need for that," Celestia said gently, them a warm smile. "You are safe now."

  A uniare, her blue arred by scratches, swallowed hard before speaking. "T-Thank you, Princess. ouldn’t be here if not for Lady Luna and her panion."

  Celestia’s heart ached at the title. It was bittersweet to hear her sister referred to with such respect, to know she was out there, proteg lost souls. But why had she not returned home?

  "You have nothing to fear anymore," Celestia reassured them. "But please, if you are well enough, I must ask— you tell me what happened? Anything you know about my sister and her husband?"

  The ponies exged uain gnces before ah pony stallion with a scarred fnk nodded. "They saved us," he said. "We were being huhose monsters in cloaks had us ered. Then she appeared… wings spread wide, magic like nothing I’ve ever seen. And beside her, a stallion. He wielded no staff, no bde, just magi his hands."

  Celestia frowned slightly. "His hands?"

  "Yes, Princess," the stallion tinued. "He’s not a pony… but he fights like a warrior. I saw him take down three of those monsters before they could even cast a spell. And Lady Luna—she ahe night itself."

  The others nodded in agreement, murmuring about the power they had witnessed.

  Celestia absorbed the information carefully. A non-pony wielding magic at Luna’s side, fighting alongside her against these enemies… She o know more.

  "Did she say anything? Where they are going, why she has not returned?" Celestia asked, her voice betraying the longing she held deep in her heart.

  The uniare hesitated, then spoke softly. "She said… that she wishes to return home but is uo, not that she wont but she ot.”

  Celestia’s breath hitched, her regal posure wavering for the briefest of moments. Uo return? That was far different from choosing not to return.

  She straightened, golden magic smoothing out her wings as she regarded the mare with renewed urgency. “Did she say why? revents her from ing home?”

  The uni shook her head. “She didn’t expin, only that something was keeping her away.”

  Celestia barely had a moment to pose herself before the eic filly skidded to a halt in front of her, eyes wide with curiosity aement.

  “Princess Celestia! I heard you were talking to ponies from another world! Is it true? What kind of magic did they see? Was it different? Is there a book about it?” Twilight Sparkle’s rapid-fire questionihe gathered ponies blinking in fusion.

  Celestia let out a soft chuckle despite the gravity of the situation. “Twilight, take a breath.”

  The young filly inhaled sharply, then stood at attention, though her tail twitched with impatience.

  Celestia turned back to the refugees. “I apologize for the interruption. But perhaps…” She gnced down at Twilight, a knowing smile on her face. “You would not mind answering a few of her questions? She is my most promising student, and what you have seen may help us uand how my sister’s magic has ged.”

  The uniare, still shaken from their ordeal, hesitated before nodding. “If it will help Lady Luna… then yes.”

  Twilight practically vibrated with excitement as she summoned a quill and scroll from nowhere. “Oh! Oh! Start from the beginning! ells did she use? What is her cutie mark? And tell me about the non-pony magic-user—what did it look like?”

  Celestia watched with quiet amusement as Twilight peppered them with questions, her insatiable curiosity as bright as ever. But beh her smile, worry lingered. Luna…I am so sorry.