Chapter 6- The Morning After

Princess Luna's horn stopped glowing as she opened her eyes. She was sitting in her dream room, lying upon the large cushion that was raised above the floor.

The cushion was positioned in the center of a completely blackened, tiny room, with a few specks of white light shinning from the walls. There were no windows, and only one entrance, which was a thick steel door at one end of the completely circular room.

Luna's dream room was the only place she could go, and actually have enough peace and quiet, to meditate so that she could visit pony's dreams and stop their nightmares.

She had visited many dreams that night. The last one being a little filly's dream about an all candy world. However, it was not the most memorable.

During the middle of night, she had came across the nightmare of her brother Solar Eclipse.

It was not unusual for alicorns to have nightmares, but this one was exceptionally worrying. She had arrived in her brother's dream where she was standing at the entrance of a rather small cave. Directly behind her was the sun. Being inches from her tail, it gave off no heat, but did force out quite a substantial mount of light. She could find no real subsequent meaning for this and chose to look around for answers.

Inside the cave she could see the back end of Celestia, as her sister stood over a cowering Solar.

Luna was thrown off at first, as to why her sister would bring so much fear to a pony, let alone a family member. She didn't want to interact, simply to investigate the dream into further detail, but at the rate the nightmare was increasing, it was her duty to stop it.

She remembered vanquishing the evil Celestia from the dreamscape. She also remembered approaching Solar, who at the time was a complete and utter mess, shaking on the floor. She remembered consoling him, so that she could hold a reasonable conversation with him. She also remembered saying something about how Twilight sparkle could help in his cause.

As far as Luna knew, Solar Eclipse was there to take back the throne from her and her sister. Why would she recommend a fellow allicorn, to help steal a throne?

Luna stood up, stretching her entire body from head to hoof. She needed to think, but not here. Even though it was Luna's own private room, off limits to everypony else, she felt that she always thought best while outdoors.

She slowly stepped off of the raised pedestal, and looked one last time around her room. The few tiny white specks on the wall, that resembled the stars, were all slowly rotating off of the wall, and disappearing once they touched the floor.

Luna didn't know why, but she somehow enjoyed watching the stars fall from the wall to signify the coming day. Even though the sun and moon were still locked in the sky in their not-so- warming embrace, Luna was still able to tell what time it was outside.

She turned to the large steel door that secluded her from the external world, and slowly pulled it open, allowing the dime outside light to pour in through the doorway.

She poked her head outside and squinted her eyes as the light pierced her retenea. She blinked her eyes quickly so that she could adjust.

The guards on both sides o the door had noticed her appearance, but had been rather highly suggested to, that bothering Luna the moment she came out of the dream room was not the best thing to do.

Whether she had to do any serious nightmare stopping or not, Luna always seemed to feel irritated and annoyed whenever she left her room, but that didn't stop her this morning.

Once she had fully adjusted to the environment outside the dream room, she quickly shut the door and proceeded down the hallway toward the gardens. Leaving the guards behind her, in silent questioning.

She travelled through the unending halls and rooms of the Canterlot Palace. The palace was almost always empty, save for the few yearly events that actually brought ponies inside for some other reason than politics, or to have a council with one of the princesses.

Luna strolled past Princess Celestia's room, and paused to look at the door, hoping to see her sister finally leave her self afflicted prison. It had been almost two days now and Princess Celestia still hadn't come out of her room since she stormed out on the meeting with Twilight.

Growing desperate, Luna stepped toward the door and placed her horn against it to rest her neck. "Tia," Luna shut her eyes to focus on her speech. "I wish that you would come out of there and at least speak to somepony."

"..."

Silence was all that Luna could hear from the inside of the room. That was all she ever heard. She was truly worried about her sister, she had never locked herself away for this long before. Celestia was always the more social pony of the two. Luna preferred to be left alone, but she knew that Celestia couldn't go an hour without at least saying something to somepony, except when she was sleeping.

Luna sighed and turned away from the door, still hoping that it would open and she could see her sister emerge, but it didn't happen, so she continued on her journey.

After a few more halls and flights of stairs, Luna was finally at the glass doors that let out into the palace gardens. She was used to the brilliant plants of all shapes and colors. The beautiful trees that stood tall and proud, and provided all sorts of shade at just the right places in the paths. However she certainly was not used to seeing Discord, sitting on one of the benches that looked out over Canterlot.

She opened the door and inhaled heavily, as the scent of so many flowers and plants blasted through her nose with heavenly ferocity. She always loved the smell of Evening Primrose, and even though it wasn't visible, and probably beginning to close its pedals, she could still smell it's scent over all of the other flowers.

Discord hadn't noticed her open and close the glass doors while she entered. It appeared that he was deep in thought because he was slumped over and resting his head on his arm, while holding a rather far away look on his eyes.

Luna took a few steps down the path, gazing around at the flowers and treetops, but also taking careful glances at Discord as she approached him from up the path.

She was less than seven feet behind him, when he suddenly blurted out, "Not out of her room yet hmm?"

Luna realizing she was spotted, moved around to the front side of the bench and took a cautious seat next to him.

She looked out over the partially lit city of Canterlot. The city seemed unnervingly quiet. Usually the city was rather loud and bustling with activity. But on this occasion, the streets were considerably empty, and just as before, eerily quiet.

"No...she hasn't. I truly am beginning to worry. She never stays hidden away this long." Luna sighed and looked up at the solar eclipse in the sky. "I'm not certain, but I feel that this situation with Solar Eclipse is affecting me on a personal level."

"Why is that?" Discord asked, looking to Luna and raising an eyebrow.

"Well... I'm not sure. I just feel like everyone is acting different because of the return of my forgotten brother."

"There are reasons for all of this Luna. Some of it I know, but most of it I'm still unsure."

"Well, what do you know then? I need to know what's going on here or I fear that I may end up like my sister."

"What do you want to know then, Luna?" Discord asked rising from his seat, and walking to the edge of the garden.

"Okay. First off, I want to know why my sister is acting the way she is. I also want to know why the sun and moon are overlapping like they are, and lastly...I'd like to know...why Solar wants to take back the throne. Most of all, why I suggested to him that Twilight Sparkle would help him."

"To start off," Discord said looking at the sun and moon, "this is called a solar eclipse, which is the same name your parents gave to your brother Solar Eclipse. He posses the power to move the sun and the moon at the same time. When he was young, he would create solar eclipses for weeks at a time, and the nobles decided to strip him of his rule over Equestria.

Secondly, your sister is acting the way she is, not because she is confused, but that she is quite enraged that Solar returned, and possibly that he is alive at all.

As for the throne, that is not true whatsoever. I know Solar more than anypony in Equestria, and I can tell you that as a matter of fact, Solar does NOT want to steal the throne from you or Celestia. He is simply here to refortify his presence in Equestria, and regain the love of the ponies, that was stripped of him that so many years ago.

As for suggesting Twilight's help to him, I can not honestly say why you would do it. Perhaps a deep part of you knew that he would not truly want to strip you and Celestia of your rule. Suggesting Twilight to help him may just have been an act to get him to open up to you."

Discord looked at Luna, who held a rather concerning look on her face. "Wha...what did you say about Celestia being mad that he's alive? He's our flesh and blood brother! Even if he was thought to be taking the throne, he is still family."

Discord frowned and walked around the bench a past Luna. "Perhaps you should ask him."

Luna turned to face Discord so that she could continue the conversation, but he was gone.

Luna looked around her. Discord had completely left the area. She sighed and lowered her head, closing her eyes. "Why does everypony have to be so crazy all of the sudden."

Author's Note

Sorry about this chapter taking so long to put up, but I had a weekend break, and school finals have been putting pressure down, so I had to shift my focus for a few days. Hope you all understand :)

I did take more time to right this one out, and I let go of the accelerator a little. If you think I did the right thing I'd love to know. I'd also like you wonderful readers to let me know what you think of the story and how it's progressing. I'm starting to feel like people don't care about the story because the only comment i received was on the first chapter due to a spelling mistake. I do love constructive criticism. I want to make this story the best it can be, even if it's not popular.

If anyone is continuously reading the new chapters as i update them, let me know how you feel about the way the story has progressed.

Thanks a bunch to all of you! And thanks for reading. :D