Luna Won't You Cry For Me

The next day started early for Blue Star van der Dusk. Unfortunately, this was not a good thing. As with most of the members of his family, he wasn't a morning person in the slightest, he was a night owl. That being said, it didn't help that he barely got any sleep last night. This was because Twilight, as per usual, spent hours talking with him trying to get as much information as she could before they went to see Celestia. However, most of the time Blue refused to answer, or simply told Twilight to be patient, that everything would be known in due time.

The formerly-banished noble dragged his way to the kitchen, where he sat heavily in one of the chairs. Twilight had yet to rise, but he knew that the only other resident of the castle was surely awake.

As if to confirm the assumption, Spike soon walked out from the cooking area of the kitchen, a plate of fruit in one claw and a glass pot which held a strange blackish liquid. Blue had met Spike the day before, and it had been off-putting to say the least. A thousand years ago, dragons were the biggest threat to Equestria, so to see one in a castle was unnerving to say the least. However, after a bit of personal history, Blue had decided that there was nothing to fear from this dragon, not to mention that with Spike's small size, Blue knew that he could take the drake in a fight if need be.

Spike began pouring the black liquid into a ceramic mug, much to Blue's confusion.

"It's called coffee," Spike answered the unspoken question, "I don't drink it, but Twilight likes a cup in the morning. Would you like to try it?"

"I'm not sure. What does it contain, it smells strange."

"It's just ground-up roasted beans. The beans naturally contain caffeine, which is an energy-booster. And, judging from your appearance, you could use some energy," Spike poured a bit into a second mug which hadn't been there a second ago, passing it to Blue, "you look like a stallion who takes it Black, that is to say, with no cream or sugar."

"Quick study."

"You don't put sugar in your tea."

"Precisely."

Blue hesitantly levitated the mug to his lips, taking a very small sip of the hot brew. After sloshing it around in his mouth for a moment to ascertain the flavor, he gulped it down, finishing with a satisfying sigh.

"Well," Spike asked.

"It's not bad. I could never get used to drinking it, it's too bitter. But a cup every now and then wouldn't hurt me."

As Blue took another sip, Twilight entered the room and took her seat at the head of the table. Blue had noticed that it had an etched emblem in it which looked like her cutie mark.

"So, princess," Blue began, but was cut off.

"Coffee first, questions later," Twilight mumbled, levitating the first mug Spike had and taking a big gulp. Blue wondered how she could drink so much of the hot liquid at once, "Ahh, better. Now, you were saying?"

"I was going to ask how we were going to get to Canterlot."

"Oh, Celestia will send a royal carriage for us."

"You don't have them yourself?"

Twilight grinned sheepishly, "Well, I've only had this palace for a month or so. The necessary process to staff it and guard it have not been completed."

"Well that explains a lot. But tell me, aren't you worried? I mean, I know times have changed, but an unguarded castle anywhere can't be the safest place in the world."

"Blue, when was the last war you know of?"

"The last war I know of ended the year before I was born, so about thirty years before my banishment, why?"

"There hasn't been another war since."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. There have been a few powerful individuals who attempted at one time or another to take the throne of Equestria for themselves, but there have been no conflict that has pitted nation against nation."

"Wow. That's impressive."

"Indeed," there was silence for a time before Twilight suddenly perked up and stared at Blue dumbfoundly, "Wait, you're thirty!"

"Well if you simply go by the number of years I've been alive, then I guess that makes me about one thousand and thirty, but if you only count my years in the land of the living, then yes, around thirty, give or take a year."

"You don't look a day over twenty."

Blue smiled, "There's a reason for that too, princess. Like I said, all your questions will be answered in due time."

They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence. After that was done, Twilight headed to the library, while Blue opted to take a look around the castle.

As he went, he noticed two things immediately. The first was that this palace was a lot smaller than the old royal palace. He began to wonder what the castle in Canterlot looked like now. They were still in the process of building it when he was banished. Ironically, it had originally been designed to act as a winter palace for Celestia and Luna, but after, well, Blue didn't want to think about that. He was sure to get an ear-full, if not an explanation, from Celestia later on.

Even though the palace was on the smaller side, it still took Blue a few hours to take in everything it had to offer. He was particularly perplexed by the fact that the throne room held not one, but seven thrones. He could tell that one was for Twilight, and the one that was smaller than the others was for Spike. But the other six, each with a different engraving on the headboard, he had no explanation for.

While standing in this very room, a bright purple flash went off hear him. Turning toward the light, he found Twilight, fresh from an easily-completed teleportation.

"The carriage is here," she stated.

"On my way," Blue responded with a short nod.

Twilight once again teleported away. Blue followed with a teleportation spell of his own soon after.

*-*-*-*-*

The carriage ride to the Canterlot Castle, as Twilight referred to it, had been pleasant enough. Spike had come along as well, no use in him being alone in the palace, and besides, he was just as curious as Twilight about Blue's origins.

When the carriage touched down, Spike was the first one to hop out. He proceeded to hold the door open like a footman as Blue, then Twilight, exited in turn. The three of them walked the short distance to the main set of golden double doors, which was flanked by two guards, both of whom bowed immediately upon spotting the lavender alicorn.

"Princess Celestia patiently awaits your arrival in the throne room," one of the guards said.

"Thank you," Twilight said before tacking on, "at ease."

Once inside the castle proper, Twilight led the way down the various hallways. Every time they passed a maid or some other worker, that pony would bow for a second or two before carrying on whatever it was they were doing.

Soon enough, they reached another set of golden double doors which marked the entrance to the throne room. After the guards let them through, they were met by an almost-empty room. A red carpet ran across the white marble floor to a short set of stairs. At the top of the small rise sat two thrones, each with a banner or tapestry hanging above them. One depicted the sun in all its glory, the other a similar portrait of a crescent Moon.

And then Blue laid his eyes on the pony who was sitting in one of the thrones. Princess Celestia, her tri-colored mane billowing in the nonexistent breeze as it always did. She wore a very neutral look on her face, an emotion that Blue couldn't figure out the meaning of. Celestia, taking initiative, rose from her throne and slowly stepped down to the main floor.

"Twilight, Spike," Celestia began in that even, motherly tone of voice of hers, "is this the pony you wanted to talk to me about."

"Yes, he is," Twilight answered with a nod, "To be honest, I'm not sure if I believe his story or not."

"Well let me put your mind at ease," the princess of the sun said, turning her gaze to the stallion, "Blue Star van der Dusk, I see you have returned. And right on schedule, I might add."

"And here I was worried you had forgotten about me," Blue sounded calm, but Celestia could tell that he really wasn't.

"I sense that you wish me harm."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. It all depends on one thing."

"And what is that?"

"Whether or not you are going to apologize to me."

Although Blue had to look up to look Celestia in the eyes, he was not intimidated. This wasn't his first rodeo with the princess, and at this rate, it probably wasn't going to be his last.

"If you've come for an apology, you have come to the wrong place."

"Very well," Blue shrugged his shoulders. His horn began to glow, and in a flash, a long, white tube of some sort appeared next to Celestia's head. Twilight had no idea what this strange object was.

*SMACK*

With a slight tilt of his head, Blue brought the object, which was a satin glove, across Celestia's muzzle. Immediately, Twilight jumped back, returning to the defensive stance she held the day before, but this time with her horn already glowing.

"How dare you strike the princess!" the youngest alicorn barked, revving up her horn for a magical blast.

She would have unleashed it too, if Celestia hadn't held up a hoof.

"Twilight, stop," the celestial goddess commanded, "I deserved that."

Twilight was dumbstruck, "What do you mean, you deserved it?"

"All those years ago," Blue answered for Celestia, "I was right, she was wrong, and I paid for it."

"But...he...you...," Twilight couldn't form a coherent thought.

"Allow me to explain."

*-*-*-*-*

Blue Star trudged wearily into the throne room, his tired hooves producing heavy steps on the cobblestone floor. It had been a long time since he had been here last. True, he could have waited until morning, but this was too important. He had made up his mind, and he was not going to be denied an audience with the princess.

"I have returned, Celestia."

Celestia looked down from her throne with a smile, "Ah, Blue Star. How goeth it with the Arabians?"

"They are still stubborn as a pack of mules. But at least they are gracious hosts."

"So, is there news?"

"Nary anything, princess. Same as it has always been."

"Then why send correspondence to ask us to stay up this late into the night? Surely such discussion could have waited until the morn."

"Meeting with you now has nothing to do with the Arabians. It has to do with Luna."

Celestia's eyes changed from an expression of curiosity to one of indignation, "Blue Star, don't--"

"NO! I will not have you ignore my pleas again. For four long years I have done this. For four years I have traveled to the edge of the map and back, trying to find solace, but it never comes."

"We understand the pain thou must feel," Celestia sighed, her eyes returning to their usual shape, "What is it that thou want from us?"

"Either bring Luna back, or kill me."

"Thou knowest well that I cannot do the former. And thou should knowest well that I will not do the latter."

"To Tartarus with your moral code. You are all-powerful, anything that you want to do, you can do. So chose."

"I will not kill you, Blue Star."

"Then bring Luna back."

"I will not do that either."

Blue began to seethe, his breaths becoming heavier. He could feel tears welling up behind his eyes, it was only a matter of time. He tried to stave it off by turning away from Celestia, back toward the entrance to the throne room. However, his mind would not let one thing go.

"Luna was right," he breathed, the volume not much more than a whisper.

"What did you say," Celestia growled, knowing full-well what he said.

"I said," Blue turned around sharply, "Luna. Was. Right! Do you want to know the real reason she was taken by Nightmare Moon?"

"Enlighten us," Celestia was beginning to seethe as well.

"It wasn't because ponies preferred your day to her night. She could live with that. She had her Vestrals, and she had me. But what she couldn't live with was the fact that her sister, her own flesh and blood, was a perfect stranger. You were content to allow her to rot away in the shadows. You were content in letting her be forgotten so that you could be worshiped further. She asked nothing from you other than to be her friend, and you couldn't even do that! Nightmare Moon's wasn't a greedy attempt to make eternal night, that was a metaphor. Her true goal was to show you what you showed her. Sadness, pain, loneliness, forever. And now, you have banished her to the Moon. She has nopony to comfort her, nopony to tell her that everything will turn out alright. You, your majesty, have sentenced your sister to a fate worse than death. And if you will not bring her back willingly, and amend for your wrongs, then I will force you!"

Blue's mane and tail began to flicker, as if they were made of candles. His eyes began to glow even more so than they normally did at night.

Celestia was being emotionally affected as well. Her normal mane and tail had given way to a mix of red and orange, the literal fire of her emotions coming out through her body.

For a time, they just stared off. Then Celestia made her move.

"HOW DARE THOU," Celestia screamed in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "HOW DARE THOU BERATE US FOR OUR ACTIONS! GUARDS, SEIZE HIM IMMEDIATELY!"

Two guards rushed Blue, but he was ready. His horn began to glow and spark before sending out a blue shockwave which spread out in a perfect circle out from him. The two guards were knocked out on contact. Celestia was able to fly out of the way.

"You did this," Blue yelled, completely consumed by his rage and sadness, "You could have prevented all of this, and you didn't."

"INSOLENT COLT! WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THOU WILL NEVER SEE LUNA AGAIN IN YOUR AGELESS LIFE!"

Celestia began powering up her horn. Blue tried another magic attack, but Celestia once again dodged, using her ability to fly to her advantage. Her horn fully charged, she landed on the ground with building-rattling force, before blasting a beam of golden light from her appendage. The light engulfed Blue Star. And though it was the worst pain he had ever experienced, he kept his eyes dead-locked on Celestia until he disappeared.

*-*-*-*-*

"And that was the last time I saw Equestria," Blue concluded his flashback, "well, until two nights ago, at any rate."

Twilight and Spike, who had both seen a lot of things in their time, had both long since fallen onto their haunches, dumbfounded by what they had just heard. Blue and Celestia both stood in silence, looking at each other, both on the verge of tears at the painful memory.

"That...," Twilight finally found her voice, "that can't be true, is it princess?"

"Twilight," Celestia answered, "I'm afraid it's all true, every word. I can still remember the event vividly, though I haven't thought about it in a very long time."

Twilight sighed and picked herself up, "If that's the case then that is some tale. One that leaves me with just one unanswered question. What did you mean by 'in your ageless life'?"

"Ah, that," Blue Star said, bobbing his head from side to side ever so slightly in thought, "Well that's at least a simpler explanation. Do you know a being called Discord?"

"Yes."

"I was alive during his reign of chaos, when he almost defeated Celestia and Luna both. During his various chaotic feats, I was one of the ponies zapped. At the time, it didn't seem like anything had even happened, but afterward, when Celestia and Luna were restoring order, it was discovered that I had been made ageless, not immortal, ageless. I can still die from mortal wounds, but apparently I can survive a thousand years in Tartarus, so who knows."

"What do you suggest we do, princess," Twilight asked.

"I will have to formulate a plan. Unlike Nightmare Moon and Discord, Blue Star van der Dusk is of no threat to anypony. While I do that, I suggest you three take a walk, I'm sure there is much to discuss."