A Lost Moon
Written by Dragon Genesis
An alicorns sense of time is faster than that of a normal pony. To ponies, a year seems like a long time, and yet, five years flew by the alicorns of Equestria faster than one would think possible.
The situation they found themselves in was impossibly the same as it was not that long ago, the difference being the pony that laid in the bed and the room the bed was located in. The feelings, despite being subdued, were the same. Mourn for those with not much left in the world of the sun and moon.
The last of the royal pony sisters laid on her back, staring at the starry night sky that was projected into her room. The moon had risen only moments ago and was able to let enough darkness encase the sky and cause the bright stars to overpower the night. It was one of the factors that made it so beautiful. Sadly, the stars seemed dimmer that evening as Cadence finished placing the last constellation in the sky.
Luna smiled at the complete expanse of sky before her, perfected to a point by the other alicorns. In the short five years Luna had left, she taught Twilight the magics of raising the sun, and Cadence the magic of raising the moon and stars. She new within a few centuries that Cadence would do the same for Twilight, the Twilight to her daughter, Dawn Solar.
Dawn wasn't present that night, having been sent to bed early to let the others handle the situation that the filly knew little about. It didn't help that Dawn wished for Luna to get better soon so they could play before she went to bed. It was hard for the lunar princess to look the filly in the eyes and make a promise she could never keep. It would be only a matter of hours and little Dawn will wake up in the morning to panicking assastaints, screaming that the princess was dead.
Luna closed her eyes to keep back tears, wishing she could see her niece one more time before age took her life. Age. It was an evil thing to an Alicorn. They lived for thousands of years only to die at a certain age. It wasn't one you could forget. How can you when it was what told you how long you have left on this planet?
Alicornhood was not a gift, no matter how much you believed it to be. Alicorns were feared yet loved. Ponies loved them for the benefits they brought and the hope they install into others hearts. But they fear them. They fear that if they don't do exactly as told that they would be banished or killed.
Then there was the matter of their magic. It took years and years before Twilight and Cadence could cast normal spells without overpowering them and causing damage. The lavender alicorn still could remember when she sent her coffee sailing through the ceiling when she tried to lift it to her lips.
But finally, it was age. The bane of alicorn existence. It was feared, yet embraced. It was feared since they knew the exact date of their death, it haunted their years and could drive one made if they ponder on it too much. But they embraced it still. They embraced the knowledge that, one day, they would join the loved ones they have left behind due to their extended life span.
Luna knew this and it kept her going, even during her years on the moon. She knew that knew day she would leave the world properly, one day Nightmare Moon would no longer exist. It was a cruel thought, but she had nothing else to entertain herself.
A blue glow surrounded the still crying Twilight’s horn as she guided the moon into the sky, Luna too weak to cast any form of magic. Luna smiled softly as she watched the moon that she guided for millennia rise into its place in the sky. It was reassuring to know that somepony such as Twilight would care for her moon once she left.
“I will miss seeing the night sky prepared correctly.” said Twilight softly as she watch stars light the sky. She sighed as she looked over at Luna. “Its been five years and yet it still feels like yesterday that I lost Tia, now I’m losing you.” Tears stained her coat. Luna smiled softly, weakly opening her forelegs. Twilight accepted the hug, hugging the princess as tight as her old and insanely fragile bones would allow.
“No need to cry, Sparkle.” said Luna, her voice quieter and lacking her playful youth that it usually held. “It is the way of life and neither you nor I can change the way it must flow. The best you can do is live it to your fullest and remember the ones who left before you.”
“Thats a long list.” said Twilight with a choked laugh. Luna chuckled herself before kissing the mares forehead.
“Remember, one day all four of us, and even your daughter when its her time, will all meet again in the heavens beyond.” She relaxed her limbs, letting Twilight go. “It will help you going through the remainder of your years. I know from experience.” said Luna with a wink. She turned her gaze to the somber Cadence.
"You have been quiet, niece." said Luna carefully. Cadence shook her head before falling her haunches, tears streaming down the sides of her face.
"I don't know if I can do it, Lulu." said the pink alicorn, choking back a sob. "I don't think I can sit here and watch you die."
"And you don't have to if you don't want to." said the indigo alicorn with a small smile. "I will not force you to sit here as I die, you may leave if you so choose, just make sure to visit my grave once I do pass."
"It's almost time." said Twilight as she watched the moon near its zenith. Luna nodded weakly, feeling whatever energy she has left slowly drain from her.
"It is." Luna took a shaky breath. "I can already feel myself dying." commented the mare. She let her head fall back, watching the moon rise closer to its peak out the window. Once it did, she would cease to exist and rise to the heavens.
And it was with this thought that Luna died with, a smile gracing her face as the release she asked for so many times finally came to her.
Dawn Solar was woken by shouts and the crying of maids outside in the hallway. The small filly sat up and stared blearly at the door to her room, listening as guards shouted something she could not understand.
Walking over to her door, Dawn reached up towards her handle and opened up into the hallway of the castle. Outside, ponies rushed in and out of a room down the otherside of the hallway. She saw her Aunt Cadence sitting next to the door, her head in her hooves.
Before the filly could walk over to the pink alicorn, guards walked out of the room pulling a stretcher. Dawn watched as her mother walked out behind them. The lavender mare kissed the top of the black bag on the stretcher before letting them take it away.
"Mommy, what's going on?" Asked the alabaster alicorn. Twilight blinked before looking down at her daughter. Dawn was able to see tears in the alicorn's eyes before they were wiped away with a hoof. She sat down and motioned for the filly to come over to her.
"Dawn, baby, I got some sad news...."
