2 Timing is Everything

Luna had little to be confident about. Her recent...reformation...had left her in the most awkward of positions. Welcomed back into her sister's court without open hooves. If only more around the palace had been skeptical. Maybe they were, but Celestia wouldn't allow them to show it. If they could then Luna would have something to prove. She could win their trust back. As it stood? Everyone treated her with the dignity her position afforded her. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she had much to pay for. Frustrating. Awkward. About most things. Not this though. This was the one thing of which she knew she could confront her sister on.

"Fifty-eight ponies were killed" Celestia coldly stated, almost as if in response to a question Luna had not asked.
"Excuse me?" Luna responded as she entered the throne room.
"That uprising. Fifty-eight overseers killed. Hundreds of slaves are on the run."

Luna looked her sister in the eye. She was itching for an argument. She stayed silent, with just a hint of a smirk that said "I told you so."
Celestia just sighed. "This is why I urged patience in this matter sister. Do you see why we can't just free the humans?"
"Honestly?" Luna replied, "no. A decree from both of us can end all of this right now."
"Sister, you can't be that naive..."
"What did I ask you to do immediately after Nightmare Moon's hold on me was gone? What did I ask you do sister?"
"Luna I..."

The younger princess shook her head.
"I asked you to free these human slaves. And what happened at that quarry wouldn't have if you had listened to me right then and there."
Celestia fumed yet...she was right. In that arrogant sort of way that failed to address all possible considerations.
"Luna I...we won't be able to persuade the Council or the citizenry in general after what happened. Human emancipation can...it will happen. But this...this makes it harder then ever."

"You mean to tell me..." Luna asked, "...that ponies will see slaves finally seizing their freedom and declare that it was their oppressors who have been wronged?"
"Every pony with a human slave is now going to fear for their life sister. Every pony who once thought humans didn't deserve freedom will now have their prejudices reinforced. And the family members of those overseers..."
"What of them?" Luna asked, her eyes narrowing.
"You know what sister. How can I tell ponies to set humans free when we'll have families of dead overseers demanding justice for their loved ones?"
"Who demands justice for the slaves those overseers tortured? Worked to death?" Luna was unrelenting.

"Enough" Celestia bellowed, loud enough to scare her sister. "I wish for the humans to be free. I've regretted my actions for centuries. Yet I cannot stand aside on this issue. Those slaves...they've only made things worse for themselves." Celestia lowered her head, the true tragedy of the events of the past week weighing on her. "I have a duty to protect my people first and foremost" she added more confidently.
Luna was about to retort before noticing somepony standing behind her. She turned to see Shining Armour, captain of the Royal Guard.

"Your majesties..." he began, "I trust I am not interrupting anything?" he asked, sounding unsure, already slowly backing out of the room.

"No" Celestia answered. "No not at all. Luna and I were just...discussing the incident outside of Fillydelphia."

"Well I might be able to add to that" the Captain of the Guard added, entering the room, annoying Luna with his singular focus on her sister.

"You've finished your initial investigation then?" Celestia asked.

"Yes Your Highness."

"And the rumours?"

"We've interrogated a few slaves from the area..." he stopped, feeling uneasy as Luna approached him, a stern look on her face. "Your Highness, I did all I could to ensure the interrogations were fair."

"Just continue with your report Captain" Luna remarked with distaste, choosing to stare out of a window, leaving the captain to her sister. Yet staying intently focused on the conversation.

"The rumours, Your Majesty? Of the supposed magical powers the ringleader supposedly wielded. The rumour cannot be collaborated. The two surviving overseers, though in rough shape, made no mention of it."

"So simply stories and nothing more?"

"No Your Majesty. The uprising came out of nowhere, it would seem. They cannot remember seeing any such displays of magic, but that wasn't where their attention was. It's entirely possible something happened that they would not have seen before the attackers fell upon them."

Celestia frowned, about to speak. Her sister, however, had beaten her by a moment. "I can tell you this slave doesn't posses those powers Captain" Luna remarked.

"You can, Your Majesty?" Shining Armour answered, surprised but inquisitive.

"If you could bring fire down on your enemies he'd have brought a firestorm down on this palace by now."

"He would have, Your Majesty?"

Luna turned around, indigent. "Wouldn't you? If you were in his place, and possessed such powers, wouldn't you kill everypony in this palace at the earliest possible opportunity?"

Shining Armour didn't know what to say. He just tried to remain his composure.

"Of course you would" Luna responded confidently. "And no one would blame you."

"Your Majesty I...if I may ask..." Shining Armour stuttered, "how do you know the magic powers in question were flame-based?"

"Like you, Captain," she sneered his title with contempt, "I spoke with humans. The difference was I didn't interrogate them."

Shining Armour sighed. "I should go" he said with a bow, followed by a courteous and respectful "Your Majesties."

"Be well Captain" Celestia called out as the unicorn left before turning to Luna. "I hope you're proud of yourself sister."

Luna didn't answer.

"You know his sister is my star pupil" Celestia added.

"Oh? Twilight?" Luna asked, her demeanour improving slightly.

"Yes. She has a human you know."

"I remember" Luna answered in a short tone.

"Well sister, I've seen the Captain with him. He's only ever treated him with respect and dignity. If you insist on shaming anyone I suggest you find someone else." Luna only shook her head as she left.

"If he does indeed treat his sister's slave that well it means he recognizes what's been allowed to perpetuate is wrong. Yet he still upholds it."

Celestia could have answered, yet she didn't. She could tell Luna wasn't interested. And why continue to drive a wedge between them over something Luna had resolved not to discuss? She would calm down, and return to her senses. And then the two sisters would work to find some way out of this mess. Somehow.

She hoped.