Chapter 14:
The Birthplace Of Kung Fu
Though the sun rose, Luna could find no comfort in its glow, as it lacked the warmth of her sister's touch. Luna sat near the sacred peach tree, watching the sun rise without its master. Her sister's staff lay embedded in the ground before her.
"Celestia? What am I going to do? Tai Lung is coming for the scroll. I can't cleanse his heart without my magic, and…I don't know what to do. I can't do this without you… why did you have to go?" Luna whispered, gazing towards the staff and the sun beyond before lowering her head. Nothing in her life seemed like it was going right anymore.
But before she could sink back into despair, a noise caught her ears. The sound of… combat?
Luna turned, trying to follow the sound. It wasn't coming from the training hall. As Luna tracked the sound, she quickened her pace as she realized it was coming from the palace library.
Racing to the doorway that held Celestia's prized collection of scrolls and books, Luna froze in shock; the lock had been broken. Not by magic, but through sheer power.
Luna peered inside… and gasped. Twilight was jumping from bookshelf to bookshelf. No ladder was in sight, and her horn didn't glow with any magic. A massive stack of books and scrolls was carefully yet perfectly balanced on her arms and head. Only when she had jumped down and set the books and scrolls down on the table did Twilight notice she had company.
"Master Luna! I'm sorry. I just feel better when I'm reading, and…" Twilight yelped before bowing and trying to explain.
Luna stared at her for a moment, before her eyes brightened with an idea.
"Oh, no need to apologize and explain, Twilight. I just thought you were Rainbow Dash. She hides her Daring Do novels on top of the bookshelves," Luna said with a small smile as she indicated a bookshelf Twilight hadn't roamed yet.
"Daring Do…?" Twilight whispered giddily. That was one of her favorite novels that didn't have anything to do with Kung Fu. And to know that was available to read made her excited.
Luna pretended to walk away, but hid around the corner. Inside, she heard a chair hit the floor and the creak of bookshelves. Racing back inside, Luna found herself staring in amazement: Twilight had performed a perfect split on parallel bookshelves, and happily had her nose buried in the edition of A. K. Yearling's Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Statue.
Luna's smile began to brighten, as did the sunlight through the window. Twilight winced as the light hit her eyes, but as she covered her eyes with her hand, she spotted Luna approaching and her eyes bugged out of her skull in horror.
"Please don't tell Rainbow," Twilight begged, not wanting to get in trouble.
But Luna made no motion to tell the absent cyan master. Instead, she drew closer.
"Look at you," Luna commented, though it only caused Twilight's face to fall.
"I know. I'm pathetic," Twilight said, resigning as she buried her nose back in the book.
"No, I mean…How did you get up there?" Luna indicated her.
Twilight glanced down at the split she was doing and replied, "I run a library. I do things like this to reach the top shelves all the time,".
"Twenty feet off the ground? Using a perfect split?" Luna asked with a chuckle.
"Oh, this? It was just…an accident…" Twilight said with a chuckle, waving it off until her foot began to slip, and lost her footing.
With a yelp, Twilight hits the ground, and the Daring Do book bounces to a stop before Luna. With a look of dawning comprehension, Luna picked up the book before looking at the sun. When she gazed at Twilight, her grin matched the sun's brightness.
"There are no accidents. Come, unicorn. Follow me," Luna said, partially in realization as Twilight lifted herself up and reached for the Daring Do book with a moan. Luna then turned away, motioning for Twilight to follow with the book.
Twilight gasped and huffed. For the past hour, Luna led her up the mountain that stood adjacent to the Celestial Palace. The Celestial Palace had always made Ponyville look small, but now from the height they were at, even the Celestial Palace looked like a toy castle.
Not that Twilight was able to enjoy it. A massive pack filled with books, scrolls, and other assorted supplies pulled on her back, trying to drag her down. She glanced over at Luna, who walked along carrying only a wooden training staff.
"Master Luna. I know you're trying to be very mystical and mysterious. But can you please tell me where we're going?" Twilight gasped as she almost lost her balance before righting herself.
Luna didn't reply. She just walked towards the top with a strange spring in her step. Her face was eager. She was…smiling?
As they walked, Twilight glanced up at her horn, and an idea came to her. A question that been bothering her for a while came into her mind, and she decided to ask it. At least, since Master Luna seemed in a better mood. And that gave her a little bit of confidence.
"Master Luna?" Twilight asked, trying to get the master's attention.
Luna still gave no indication that she had heard Twilight calling to her.
"Why don't you use any magic?" Twilight asked.
Luna stopped, her entire form stiffened, and Twilight feared for a moment that she was going to get thrown off the mountain. But then… Luna sighed.
"I don't have magic. Not anymore," Luna replied.
Twilight tilted her head. This had certainly not been in any of the scrolls or books she had read.
"What happened?" Twilight asked, wanting to know the story of how Luna lost her magic.
"You seem to be an apt scholar. Do you know the tale of Nightmare Moon?" Luna noted.
Twilight glanced down.
"O-One of Celestia's greatest enemies. Tried to plunge the world into eternal night, but was stopped by Celestia," Twilight recited, recalling how the story was read.
"I was Nightmare Moon," Luna replied, regret was evident and heavy in her voice.
Twilight froze in shock, 'Master Luna was the dreaded Nightmare Moon? The books and scrolls I've read told of the things she had done but they never said who she really was. Though Celestia probably had a hand in that, she wouldn't want anypony judging her sister' She said in her thoughts.
"My jealousy over my sister became too great to handle. I used my magic to transform myself into Nightmare Moon. After my sister stopped and imprisoned me, she spent centuries looking for a spell to purge Nightmare Moon from my being. And after a thousand years, she succeeded. However, it took away my magic…And Celestia's immortality." Luna continued with a small smile before she shifted her gaze downward and shut her eyes.
Twilight winced, the grief of the revelation from last night washing over her once more.
"Since then, I have been unable to perform the simplest of spells. And I have made it so I don't need to," Luna continued in a slightly stronger voice and quickened her pace.
Luna's quickened pace kept Twilight from asking any more questions. She almost had to run to keep up with the alicorn master, and even then, Luna still got far ahead of her. By the time the two reached a small body of water shrouded in mist, Twilight was struggling to stay on her feet.
As Twilight collapsed to the ground, shedding her pack like a snake shedding skin, Luna approached the body of water, and sat cross-legged, meditating.
"You...brought me...all the way...up here...for a bath?!" Twilight gasped out as she gazed at the pearly waters, she couldn't help reaching out for a handful to wash the sweat from her face.
"Unicorn, we do not wash ourselves in the Pool of Sacred Tears," Luna said, her eyes closed but her voice still firm.
"Wait, The Pool of Sacred… Oh!" Twilight quickly pulled her hand back from the waters, and Luna stood, watching as the mist slowly dissipated in the wake of the peaking sun.
"This is the place where my sister unlocked the secrets of harmony and focus. This is the birthplace…of Kung-Fu," Luna said, as Twilight rose next to her.
Twilight looked up in awe as the mist cleared, revealing an entire field perfect for training. Rocks jutted into the air, providing places to learn balance and agility. In the glare of the sun, Twilight could almost see a younger Celestia, learning the first techniques of martial art. As her spirit leaped into the air, it became one with Luna, who landed where Celestia had stood. In the light of the sun, Luna and Celestia almost looked like one alicorn. Twilight whimpered in awed delight.
"Unicorn do you wish to learn Kung-Fu?!" Luna declared.
"Y-Yes," Twilight whispered, putting her hands on her chest.
"Then I am your master!" Luna announced with pride.
"Y-Yes, Master Luna," Twilight said, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.
"Please don't cry," Luna requested with a soft grin.
"O-Okay…" Twilight sniffed, struggling to hold her tears back, before sinking into a bow.