Second Chances

Princess Luna stood outside the Ponyville library, the soft light of dawn warming her fur. She had been there for close to an hour, not having the courage to knock. It had been two days since Darkened Sky was executed, two days full of protests and riots. I don't know what Tia was trying to do by killing him. Did she really expect everybody to just accept her judgment? Half of the delegates at the summit are calling for her arrest, since she broke the United Equuis' Universal Rights treaty. If only they knew ab—. Her silent musings were interrupted by the door opening.

"Are ya gonna come in, Princess, or jus keep standing an staring at tha door?" Applejack motioned for the Princess to enter.

Luna walked in and looked around the trashed room. There were books and ripped parchment laying everywhere, along with the remains of a large table. Picking up the nearest scrap of paper she noticed it was a letter from Celestia. "Is she still in her room? And where's spike? He normally wouldn't let the library stay this way after one of Twilight's rages. "

Applejack walked over to the one unbroken chair and collapsed onto it. "He's at Rarity's place, making sure she don't try anything stupid again. She put this corrosive power on a dress Celestia had commissioned. It did something with the gems already in the dress an blew up. Now she keeps talking to these voices in her head. Pinkie Pie isn't much better, she set up a party for Darkened Sky's return. She's convinced he's still alive and will walk in any minute. Fluttershy is with her, making sure she eats. Twilight came home from Canterlot and tore the place apart before getting in bed. She hasn't moved since then, not even to go to the bathroom. Rainbow Dash is up there now trying to get here to eat."

Luna walked to the stairs, pausing at the bottom. "Applejack, why are you here? You should be at home, resting up for apple bucking season."

"Ya didn't hear? Granny Smith died saving Big Mac when our barn collapsed the night Darkened Sky was arrested. The entire apple clan is in town, so a don't have to go near the farm until a'm ready to." Luna stared at Applejack, mouth open. "A take it ya didn't hear then. With things being so hec—" Luna shrieked and ran upstairs.

"Come on Twilight, just one bite. You need to eat, we can't lose you too." Rainbow Dash was trying to get Twilight to take a bite of a protein bar. She looked up as Luna burst into the bedroom. "Luna, please do something. She's done nothing but lay here since getting back. I don't know what to do."

Luna walked up the steps to the loft. "Rainbow Dash, have you seen Chrysalis since the night Trixie attacked?"

"No, I can't say I have."

"I need you to go get the rest of the Bearers and bring them to the summit. I can't tell you why right now, but you have to trust me. I know how to save Ponyville, and Twilight." Rainbow Dash nodded and ran downstairs. Luna climbed up onto the bed with Twilight and turned the heart-broken mare's head towards her. "My dear Twilight, please talk to me. You've been blocking my attempts to talk in your dreams."

Twilight's voice was rough from sorrow. "Why would I want to talk to you? You let her kill him, I saw the explosion." She opened her eyes as tears fell onto her muzzle. Looking up, she saw that Luna was crying.

"I could do nothing to save him, not without compromising my other subjects. There are some things that I forbade Darkened Sky from sharing with you. It's time you know the entire truth." Seeing Twilight's confused look, she sighed. "Do remember the first time you asked about his father? He said that his father Fell in battle."

Twilight nodded. "He also said his sister fell just before he came to Equestria. I always thought that was his way of saying they died, but he has talked about other ponies dying. When I asked him about it, he said it was a custom from his homeland."

"He told you most of the truth. In the Nightlands, those in the royal family never live long enough to die. They Fall."

"I don't think I understand. Are you saying that Darkened Sky was a member of the royal family?"

Luna shook her head. "Not exactly. Until the day the barn collapsed on Granny Smith, he was the heir to the throne of the Nightlands."

Twilight sat up, face contorted in concentration. "But Trixie said she was crown Princess, and succession in the Lulamoon line is through mares. Trixie is a few years older than Darkened Sky, so she should have been heir."

"You are correct, Trixie would be heir if there was only one line of succession. There are three different lines, Chrysalis, the Lulamoons, and my children. If I have no children abled to take the throne when the current ruler Falls, then a Lulamoon takes the throne."

"That means that Darkened Sky was your son. And you let him die! How could you do that! Didn't you love him?"

Luna swept the weeping mare into a tight hug. "Of course I loved him, but I can never interfere in the lives of my children. He chose his own path, and I had to let him go."

Twilight started crying harder. "I miss him so much, I don't care what he did or what his titles are. I just want my kind, loving stallion back."

"If you love him, let him go. Come to the summit and save Ponyville, the place that he loved so much, he left a palace to live in. Darkened Sky's Fall was not the end of his legacy."

Twilight pulled away from Luna. "You never explained what the difference between dying and falling is."

Luna got off the bed and turned to the loft stairs. "That's Falling with a capital F. The process of being changed from a mortal body of flesh to a body of unbreakable ice. Most creatures Fall, ether from sustaining a fatal injury or going insane, by touching an orb made by the current Prince of Ice. Guess who holds that title now." With that dramatic revelation, Luna ran downstairs and out the front door.

Twilight sat on her head for a few seconds. "Luna! Get back here!" She jumped off her bed and took off after the fleeing Princess.

Luna made it to the summit long before Twilight. The perks of being able to travel from shadow to shadow faster faster than light. She trotted up to the table assigned to Equestria's representatives. "Celestia, Cadance. Twilight will be arriving momentarily." Smiling, she sat down next to her sister.

Celestia stared at her. "How did you get Twilight out of her room? Spike informed me this morning that she wouldn't be leaving her bed."

"Oh, Tia, it was easy. I told her that Darkened Sky is still alive."

"You did what! How could you do that to her! He's dead, you saw the crater!" She stood up and glared at Luna. "Why would you get her hopes up like that? You know how fragile she is right now. I think you've gone too far this time, we are going to have a long talk back at the castle."

"Luna! You can't just tell me he might still be alive then run off!" Twilight tackled Luna and pinned her to the ground. "Explain now!"

While Celestia and Twilight yelled at Luna, four cloaked figures slowly made their through the growing crowd. Once they were behind the two enraged alicorns, they removed their hoods. Slowly, people noticed them and started backing away. Luna started to laugh, and pointed to the four newcomers. "I was right! Tia, look behind you."

Celestia froze, eyes wide in panic. Twilight spun around and came face to face with Darkened Sky, Chrysalis and two other ponies.