The Night's True Darkness
Luna was a quiet pony. It wasn’t because of a superiority complex or anything so cliche, but simply because she was always thinking. Her thoughts ranged from things as simple as trying to guess a passing pony’s favourite colour, to calculating the air velocity of the mail carriage and finding ways to streamline the design and improve the mail-mares job quality, speed, and most importantly, safety. As such she didn’t really mesh with the royalty of Canterlot. They were more focused on advancing their own positions or the positions of their allies. Celestia could deal with them by subtly shifting the right nobles to the right areas, but Luna had always been one to work with the working class. She had already illustrated this with her trip to Ponyville, and hoped to visit there more soon.
She also had several other duties that confused the nobles and made them dislike her. Duties she said were critical they saw as nonsense. Things such as an hour every night to move or improve constellations, or the fact that she viewed a night-time flight over the nearby forests as a once a week requirement. They never asked her why, they simply assumed that it was her way of sneaking relaxation time in as a princess. “Ha” They would scoff. “At least Celestia just takes a two and a half hour lunch instead of insulting us by hiding it.” Though Luna heard all these thing she knew that they were the words of fools. She did her jobs as she had done before, and did them to her greatest ability. Some had tamed over her absence, but the woods still had a manticore problem, and she’d be damned before they ate one of her ponies.
This continued for a few years, the nobles scoffing at her jobs, with few changes in her routine. Once Twilight ascended she moved her schedule to have dinner once a week with her, and tried to instruct her on some of the ways that Twilight could improve everyponys lives. It was simple, and fairly low key. Until the day that Twilight decided to ask an innocent, yet all too important question.
***
The table was set incredibly modestly for two of the most important ponies in Equestria to eat at. To be honest it was just a picnic table with a fancy sheet on it with cheap plates on either side.A large salad bowl in the middle as if he was the king of the table. He might have looked that way if not for two ponies scooping out his innards for their dinner. One was purple, with a smile gracing her young face. Her wings occasionally twitched, whether due to her inexperience with the limbs or her exhaustion due to a long day could not be told. The other was a dark blue, an ethereal mane whipping in a non existent wind. She had her lips curled into a half smile, as a yawn escaped her lips. The yawn was easier to diagnose than the wing spasms, as she always woke early to share a dinner with her first and closest friend.
Twilight levitated a portion of salad onto her plate. Luna then did the same, though her portion was marginally smaller. They sat in companionable silence for a moment, each enjoying their food in a reserved manner. Twilight slowly tossed her salad in magic, with deliberation that betrayed her thoughtful nature. As she lowered her plate she brought forth her question. “Luna, I’ve been doing some reading.”
Luna took a measured bite from her salad, a smirk gracing her slowly awakening face. “Really? Why, I’ve never seen you doing that.”
Twilight put a hoof to her forehead, and groaned in the general direction of the night princess. “Yes Luna, I was reading.” She removed the hoof from her face and moved an apple out of the salad bowl in the middle of the table. “But what I was talking about was old death legends.” One of Luna’s ears twitched, though her face betrayed no emotion. Twilight seemed to miss this small que, and continued unabated. “I was reading the myths of death in the Canterlot royal library when a small inconsistency showed up.”
Luna’s lips tightened, but attempted to hide it in pleasantries. “Really dear Twilight, and what was that?”
Twilight bit into her apple, her reservation failing as she began speaking. “Well, about fifteen-hundred years ago all the myths said that the truly good were met by an alicorn gatekeeper and her cloaked son. But slowly after that the more prevalent myth was the one of the grim reapony. Since you were around then I was wondering if you might know why that is?”
Luna’s ear fell down for the briefest of moments, but she faked a smile and responded with a foal-like giggle. “My dear Twilight, That is much more my sister’s expertise, I was starting to get a bit more private in those days.”
Twilight tilted her head at the statement, before her her eyes grew larger than the salad bowl. “Oh, my, I’m sorry. I asked Celestia first and she said that you would be better suited to answer it. I didn’t mean to... I mean I was trying to...”
Luna smiled. “Think nothing of it my friend, if I got offended every time somepony mentioned Nightmare Moon, I couldn’t read the Canterlot Enquirer for it’s weekly politics issue.”
Twilight recovered herself a bit and smirked across the table. “Speaking of which, have you had the chance to read today’s issue?”
Luna shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I just got up.”
Twilight smiled even wider. “According to them, Blueblood is actually the true Princess Luna. With you being...”
Luna’s smile turned into a full fledged laugh. “An incarnation of Nightmare Moon?”
Twilight joined in the laughter. “Who else?” And with that the flow of conversation returned to normal, with the two mares chatting and gossiping away the evening. They didn’t pretend to talk of business or politics, just two old friends enjoying a meal together.
As with all good things, the meal eventually had to end. As usual Twilight moved the dishes to the kitchen while Luna put the table back to the dining room. As the two mares were about to part Twilight turned to face Luna. “Hey Luna, if you want to take an off night, I was going to stay up and watch the meteor shower you planned for tonight. You wanna join?”
Luna shook her head, her ethereal mane maintaining it’s original place. “I’m sorry my friend, but I must go ask my sister a few questions before she retires for the night.” Knowing that Twilight would question what she would ask about, Luna quickly ducked into the dining room and put up the table.
Meanwhile, Celestia was setting about getting ready for bed. This was mostly just her cleaning up her room from the various crises that had happened over the day. Her normally immaculate room was covered in papers from the wind spirit she met with, and a large ink stain fell across her bed from when Philomena scared said wind spirit. Just as she levitated the ink off the bed her door rattled. The rattling was followed by a knock that could frighten away minor gods. Celestia moved the ink to a trash bin, her mouth making a small o. “Oh dear, it appears Twilight asked Luna a bit earlier than I expected.”
The knocking only increased in volume. “SISTER, I KNOW YOU’RE UP!”
Celestia walked over to the door, debating about the merits of her plan now that it’s consequences were beating down her figurative and literal door. She slowly opened the door, wincing as a hoof stomped down in anger. When the door fully opened it revealed Luna, looking very, VERY, angry. “SISTER, WHY DID YOU TELL HER TO DO THAT!”
Celestia took a step back, moving her hoof to gesture her sister inside. Luna strode in with a glare so cold that it could have frozen fire. Celestia tried to smile as Luna stared her down. “Luna my dear, I was just getting ready for bed. What brings you here at this hour?”
Luna took a step forward, getting nose to nose with Celestia. “You know why I’m here sister. Why did you tell Twilight to ask me that?”
Celestia backed up a step and tried to keep her composure. “Well Luna it seemed like that would be something you would be more able to answer, after all, that’s all in your department.”
Luna stepped forward again. “And it’s not my department anymore, I gave it to Stiff a long time ago!”
the Celestia nodded. “Yes, but you could still have answered her questions.”
Luna snorted, moving her head backwards. “Yes, and you know that I dislike talking about it. It brings back several sore spots.”
Celestia smiled and tried to move a hoof over Luna’s shoulder. One that was immediately slapped away. Celestia’s smile faded a bit. “I know Luna, but you need to learn to get over it. It will help, I promise.”
Luna tensed her legs. “Then I will do it my way.” With that she flew off towards the window, opening it with her magic before she collided with the glass.
Celestia watched as Luna flew away, and barely moved from her spot. Sh stood there for a few minutes, before finally speaking. “Well.... That could have gone better.”
Luna flew for a solid twenty minutes. At least, that was her estimation. The city of Canterlot was now nothing but a speck in the dust, and the Everfree forest was directly below her. She looked through the forest, trying to find the clearing she knew was still there. Her powerful wings beat again, powering her higher above the surface so she could continue her easy glide. “Come on, you never let sister touch your little home.” Luna’s voice was strained, as if said through gritted teeth. As she looked down again she saw her destination. It was a clearing in the forest, only large enough for three ponies to sit comfortably. It was also completely deprived of living things, there was no grass, no trees, not even a mushroom sitting in the clearing. Luna slowly circled downwards, landing softly in the middle. “Stiff, do you still stay here?”
The clearing offered no answers, with a deathly silence that few beings had experienced. Slowly, a bush outside the clearing rustled. A gravelly voice issued from it. “One million and fifty one souls since your return, yet this is the first time you seek me out? Something has changed, and it is something that disturbs you a great amount. Sit down, I shall grab some tea.” Luna sat down, looking across the clearing. It still sat the same as it had over a thousand years ago. Before she had a chance to look for changes, a clanking grabbed her attention. She saw a small tea set float through the air, absent of a magical glow. She moved her eyes upwards, towards the area it came out of. Slowly, a cloaked pony walked through the bush. The only part of him one could see were his bleached white hooves. He sat down beside the tea set, and poured a glass. “Green tea with moonseed thrown in, your favorite.”
Luna smiled at the figure in front of her. “Stiff, my son, you are much too kind to me. You shall spoil me.”
Stiff finished filling the cup and moved it towards Luna. “No, you only come by rarely so you’ll see it as a treat. Not spoiling.”
Luna’s eyes rolled in their sockets. “And you still have the same sense of humor I see.”
Stiff simply sat down, “I have no sense of humor. Now that pleasantries are over, what has disturbed you so much as to come to me, your least favorite of jobs?”
Luna sighed, moving her head downwards. “But my favorite of sons. I was seeking your guidance my son. I am truly confused, and need to know how to deal with it.”
Stiff sprawled out, taking up more room and looked at his mother from under his hood. “You need only to ask, mother.”
Luna looked upwards, a trace of a smile erasing her frown. “Thank you my son. It’s just that, a friend of mine asked me about my time with you. The only problem is that...”
Stiff finished her sentence with his monotone voice. “You still feel like it’s partly responsible for your fall to Nightmare Moon.” Luna nodded and looked downwards again. Stiff tilted his head to the side. “But there’s something more. Something that disturbs you on a much deeper level.” Stiff’s head rotated to the other side. “Did auntie ask you about it?”
Luna shook her head. “No, she sent a friend to do it. And that was what made it so bad. She refused to tell me why, though she knows it is a sore subject. Please Stiff, you’re the only one who can help me understand this.”
Stiff moved his hooves forward, and slowly pulled back his hood, revealing a pony skull in place of a face. “Mother, you already know why. You simply wish for me to deny it. It’s understandable. This job is one with very little love. It can break your spirit, but it is needed.”
Luna looked up, nodding towards her son. “Yes, of course. I just... what if everypony starts to fear me again? I can’t deal with it a second time!” Luna’s eye’s looked upwards, staring at the night sky she had so dutifully rebuilt from Celestia’s lack of knowledge.
Stiff nodded, the darkness in his eye-sockets seeming to leave a path of blackness in the moonlit clearing. “Yes mother, but you know that they won’t. You have actual friends among the common ponies now, somepony to defend you against truly horrible lies. They can keep the populace knowing how much you truly care for them, even if your job is a cruel kindness.”
Luna looked at her son, her eyes moistened. “Stiff, how have you grown so wise? Has a thousand years improved your mind this much?”
Stiff shook his head. “No mother, just talking to the passed as always. If you think you could, you may join me tonight.”
Luna shook her head. “No my son, I doubt that the methods have remained the same the past thousand years, and learning the new ones will take time.”
Stiff didn’t speak, he simply sat there. Luna slowly became more and more curious. Eventually, Stiff did move. If only to expose the object behind him. Luna gasped. It was a scythe. Not only a scythe, but a work of art. It’s staff was a deep purple, with the stars embedded into it. It’s blade, a crescent moon, with Luna’s cutie mark appearing in the center. Luna sat there dumbly for a minute, and when she finally spoke, her voice cracked. “Stiff, you kept this, all these years?”
Stiff’s expression was impossible to read, but his voice seemed to have a happier feeling about it then before. “How could I have lost mother’s favorite birthday present? Though I’m sorry to say, it’s seen a bit of use since you left.”
Luna’s face brightened. “You mean that...?” Stiff simply nodded. “With all the innovation since I’ve been gone, you still chose to use the scythe? My son, I don’t know what to say.”
Stiff nodded. “If this is adequate proof that the methods are at least similar, I would love for you to accompany me, I haven’t had a partner in quite some time.”
Luna moved the scythe closer to her, feeling it’s familiar shape with her magic. She gave it an experimental slice. “My son, Allow me to grab my cloak, a hole has just appeared in my schedule.” With that a cloak appeared beside her, much to her own surprise. She looked it over. “Is this?”
Stiff nodded again. “You’re old cloak, it always seemed to put ponies at ease, or at least keep them from outwardly panicking. I think it has something to do with the fact it’s almost a full size too big. It’s comical to them to see death as a badly dressed alicorn.”
Luna smiled and draped it over her. “So my son, shall we see to the first of our charges tonight?” Stiff nodded, and flew upwards, wings of bone protruding from his cloak. Luna followed suit, taking a post behind her son.
Before they reached their destination, Stiff spoke. “Mother, how has Nova been doing. When you left she simply sealed herself away in her own landscape, refusing to speak.”
Luna smiled again, happy to finally revel in her child's company. “Ah, she decided that she shouldn’t be on Equss if I was gone. So, she used her own night to transport to the Moon. Though I was still mad she turned out to be a large reason I never went completely insane. In fact, she said she was planning on visiting you soon.”
Stiff nodded. “I shall endeavor to keep a portion of the night free for her.” As they flew through the night Luna remembered her days where this was how she spent her entire week, simply flying with her children, only helping the ponies to ease her workload. It seemed so cynical now. As Stiff glided down, she followed suit with a smile on her face. Now she knew why she had to do her job, and had friends to help her on the way. It was no longer an endless work schedule, but a hobby, one she could partake in with her son.
