Tears On Her Lashes (Sequel to Miasma)

PART 1

I Remember

Twilight smiled at me as I sat down next to her at the dining room table. Celestia thanked the waiter as he served a gigantic platter of food. Some ponies might be shocked at the lavish food we were being served, but I was used to it. After thousands of years eating it, you really just got used to it.

It had been five hundred years since the Miasma had been banished, and I was feeling great about it. There was an amazing chance that the Miasma would never return, maybe because the Elements worked better, or maybe because of shame or embarrassment.

Twilight was depressed, though, through my happiness. Her friends, unlike her, were not immortal. They died along with the Miasma. And although she tried to hide it, you could always see the rim of depression surrounding her. Even now, you could see her secretly mourning as she ate the meal.

After she finished, she excused herself and went to her suite.

"What's up with her?" Celestia said, staring at me incredulously.

My eyes bugged out. Celestia should have known "what was up" with her. But I noticed over the past five hundred years, Celestia has been acting more childish and weird. Especially towards Twilight. In fact, Twilight seemed more like a teacher than Celestia.

"I'll go talk to her," I told Celestia, and I started to walk to the Star Suite.

As I walked through the Star Hall, I stared out the window. The Nighties were out and partying as they normally did. The Nighties were a happy bunch, worthy of my Night. They partied all night long and had fun. Most of them were fashion designers, or artists looking for inspiration. They were mostly part of the Recreational sector of jobs in the New Equestria.

After the banishment of the Miasma, I became more of a celebrity around Equestria. Before, I was unknown. Nopony came out during the nighttime, while they cherished and enjoyed Celestia's Day. This was one of the reasons that I rebelled and sided with the Miasma to create Night Mare Moon.

So, in order to pacify both Celestia and myself, and so things would finally be fair in Equestria, we divided the ponies into two groups, the Lighties and the Nighties. The idea was brought up a few years after the Miasma's banishment, but wasn't issued until about three hundred years ago.

The Lighties only went out during the Day. Their primary leader was, of course, Celestia, although their duty was to serve all three of us. They wore a Sun necklace around their necks to symbolize the Day. They were normally associated with more serious and intellectual jobs, and farmers. These included Judges, Lawyers, etc.(part of the Justice sector) Scientists and other related jobs (part of the Science sector) Teachers, Professors, and other teaching related jobs (part of the Knowledge sector), and more.

The Nighties were the opposite, and only went out during my Night. I was their primary leader, even though they pledge allegiance to all three of us. They wear a Moon necklace to symbolize Night. They were more associated with recreational jobs, such as, Fashion Designers, Models, Singers, Artists, etc. They all belonged to the Recreational Sector.

Then, the last group are the Stars. It is, however, not classified as a proper "group". They were neither Lighties nor Nighties. Their primary leader was Twilight, we couldn't leave her out. They wore a Star necklace. The Stars were only Students, and Fillies. They were the ponies who had half and half classes, which means half of their classes are during the Day and half at Night. After they finished College, where the Professors worked, they would choose whether they would be a Lightie or a Nightie.

Suddenly I slammed into Twilight's door, knocking me to my senses.

"My stars, Luna!" Twilight said as she opened the door to the Star Suite. "You scared me so much!"

I apologized and asked if I could come in. Soon I was sitting in the Suite, on her chair, drinking some tea.

The Star Suite, like my Moon Suite, was gigantic. The Suite itself was a separate tower at the top of the Canterlot Castle, as all three Suites were.

Twilight's Star Suite was mostly libraries. The old Canterlot Library was converted to the Suite, so Twilight could study and read whenever she wanted. It was very high, almost thirty feet in the air.

"So, what's up?" Twilight asked me as she plopped down in a chair next to mine. She kicked up her hooves and placed them on the cider table in front of her, which was littered with books.

I cleared my throat. "Well, I was just wondering about...um...how you're doing."

She looked at me with fake concern. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"You know what," I answered. "Your friends. I've noticed how depressed you were lately," I added.

Twilight sighed, then shook her head. "Well, I knew I couldn't keep you from this for long," she said. I put down my teacup. "I'm not depressed because of my friends. I mean, I miss them, of course, but that isn't why I've been acting like this."

I straightened, expecting the worst. "What is it, then?"

"I've seen the Miasma."

Up until then I was fine. I was expecting something bad, but not something this bad. My hearing faded, and I heard a sharp piercing sound. My eyesight blurred. Suddenly Twilight was shaking me, trying to make me snap out of it.

"Luna! It's okay. She's not here, not yet. She just warned me."

I nodded my head. "I know. She's done it to me before, just thousands of years before. Before my banishment," I answered.

I looked at Twilight, my good friend. She had done more for me than anypony, really. She anticipated Night Mare Moon's return, and stopped it, freeing me from the Miasma. She made ponies start to like me and taught me how to fit in.

I heard some of the Nighties laugh faintly outside.

"Okay, Twilight. I have to go," I said. "If you see anything, tell me. This is very serious, Twilight Sparkle," I added, leaving the Star Suite.

I remember...

It was almost time for the Sun to be raised, where was Celestia? Had she slept in? Impossible, she never slept in. This was her duty, and she would not disobey her duty.

I went up to the Sun Suite and knocked on the door.

"Celestia, where the hay are you? The Lighties will be as mad as Sombra on bad hair day if you don't move it!" I yelled, opening the door.

I heard mumbling coming from her sunroom/bedroom, and then a crash. A weird, distorted, teenage voice came rumbling from the room.

"Coming, dear sister of mine!" she said.

"Celestia? What's wrong with your voice?" I asked.

This time Celestia's voice came through. "Nothing, sister! I'll be right there!" A green light glowed underneath the door.

This was way too weird. I slammed the door down, overcome by my amazing strength. It crumbled underneath, and I looked up.

There, in front of me, were two Celestias. Literally.

One was tied up, her voice being muffled by strange vines covering her mouth. Another was looking at me, surprised, and said: "It's not what it looks like."

Angered, I zapped the untied Celestia with my magic, just a light perception filter spell, which showed anypony's true self.

Sure enough, I was met by a Changeling.

She looked pretty young for a Changeling, I could tell. But instead of being one of those puny Changeling drones, she was a full-fledged Queen Chrysalis look-alike. She was very tall, just like the Queen, but wore a Changeling tiara instead of crown. She had a blue-ish mane with purple streaks, as if she had tried to dye it but failed. Her eyes were a bright yellow, and she wore a blue vest, like Chrysalis.

"Who the hay are you?" I interrogated, zapping the vines that held my sister. She stepped up, shaking off the vines that held her.

"I am Princess Monarch of the Changeling Colony," the Changeling said, back in her normal voice. "I am Queen Chrysalis' first daughter, and heir to the throne." Her voice had a shaky tone to it, as if she was scared of our wrath.

"Well, then, Princess. What the hay are you doing here, then?" I asked, cocking my head.

She sighed, and lowered her head.

"I have a real reason to be here, Princesses," she said, and I watched as tears welled up in her eyes.

I almost felt sorry for the Changeling, but I stopped myself before I let her go. Being banished for a thousand years made me have compassion.

"And what is that?" asked Celestia harshly.

"Well," Monarch said, "before I would take the throne after my mother, Queen Chrysalis, I must infiltrate an important government leader and take her form, and come back with a lot of food for my subjects. It's a sort of test before you take on the role of leadership!" She sighed and hung her head. "I'm really sorry about this, but if I come back as a failure my mother will disown me, and leadership will be handed over to my younger sister, Moth Wings. And I can't do that, Princesses."

Now I felt sorry for the young princess. She didn't seem like all of a bad pony. Monarch was just trying to win her mother's approval...

Another green light filled the room, and we both looked at Monarch suspiciously. Suddenly a different Changeling appeared in front of me. Why, it was none other than the Changeling Queen Chrysalis.

"Daughter of mine, you have failed me," she said, an evil tone to her voice.

Monarch cringed, expecting the worst. "I-I'm sorry, Mother. It... I just...um..." Monarch was at a loss for words.

"No excuses!" Chrysalis snapped, stomping her holed hoof on the ground. "I gave you a test and you failed. Might I add that I did this same test the day I was made Queen?" she added, frowning. Her mane swished as she spoke.

"Yes, Mother," Monarch whispered, defeated.

Chrysalis shuddered, and said: "Well, you know what happens. You are dismissed from the Changeling Colony, and are dismissed of your duty towards it. You are now classified as Rogue Drone," she concluded, a formal tone to her voice. I hadn't noticed before, but Celestia did her duty and raised the Sun a while ago. It was a bright sunny day, and suddenly I felt an overwhelming tiredness wash over me.

Monarch stepped back, tears on her thin lashes. Her pupils enlarged, signaling her pain. And who could blame her? Monarch's mother had just disowned her, she had lost everything she believed in, her home, her family, her royal position.

Reminded me of my time as Night Mare Moon.

But my compassion was in vain. Chrysalis was gone, taking Monarch's whole life with her.

Monarch stood for a second, bewildered, not blinking. Then she crumpled to the floor, sobbing.

I knelt next to her. Her hooves were covering her face, but you could see her pained eyes through the holes in them.

"Hey, it's okay," I told Monarch. She shook her head.

"No. Things will never be okay," Monarch said in between sobs.

I hugged her, and she relented. "You can stay with us if you want," I told her. Celestia shook her head and whisper-yelled at me. I waved her off, and continued to comfort the ex-princess.

"Thank you, Luna. I appreciate it so much," she said, and looked at me. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, but she managed a smile.

I smiled, and Celestia scoffed.

I remember...

I showed Monarch her room in the Moon Suite.

"Now, you must decide what you will be," I told her. She looked at me, confused.

I sighed. "Did you finish Changeling school?" I asked her.

Monarch nodded. "Yes, I finished the Royal Academy of the Changelings," she said. "I am over 500 years old," she added.

"Okay," I answered. "Would you like to be a Nightie or a Lightie?" I asked.

"Nightie," Monarch said without hesitation. I smiled, and handed her a Moon necklace, and a golden band to put on her horn, to show that she is a member of Equestria. I wouldn't want any riots happening about her Changeling form.

I went and raised the Moon, for it was time. As I flew up, channeling my magic, I thought about the Miasma. How it appeared to Twilight, of all ponies.

Why wouldn't it appear to me?

Not that I was jealous, per se, but worried. Twilight was such a young Alicorn... she did not need the evil one's influence.

I finished raising the Moon, and walked back inside, closing the door of the Moon Balcony.

I sat on my chair, which was embroidered with moons. It was hand-crafted by my good Nightie friend. I was starting to settle down when I heard a piercing, gurgling scream.

"MONARCH!?" I yelled, jumping off the chair, flying in the air, shooting towards the sound.

Turns out Monarch had the same idea. I slammed into her as I flew, causing a collision that sent me back flying into a TARDIS-colored wall. ( A good friend of mine called the Doctor gave me the idea.)

Monarch was shaking. When I asked her what the problem was, she raised a holed hoof and pointed to the next room.

I shook my head, feigning bravery, as I stepped through the doorway to enter the next room.

I must have screamed by then, I don't know. For then, I lost hope in everything I have hoped for since the Elements of Harmony five hundred years ago.