For the last time in her life, Princess Celestia raised the moon.
The apartments she'd been provided in Ponyville for the Summer Sun Celebration had come with a sizable, albeit private balcony. Something she greatly appreciated- she'd have to give Secretariat her thanks, when she returned to Canterlot. Her Chamberlain always seemed to know what little details would most please her, even without her asking. For the past several hundred years, she had always preferred to perform her key duties in private the evening before the Summer Sun Celebration. Most particularly the raising of the moon.
It wasn't that it was difficult for her- though it most certainly had been, at first. After Nightmare Moon's sealing, Equestria had gone for nearly a decade without the beautiful silver disk to light up it's night. Celestia had staunchly refused to lift it, not out of the bitterness ponies presumed she still held over her sister's betrayal, but out of respect. Out of love. The moon was Luna's domain, and the very idea of lifting it in her sister's place felt like trespassing on holy ground. But without the moon's pale glow, Equestria's nights were filled only with darkness- and darkness made her ponies afraid. As Guiding Light had pointed out to her, it was even more disrespectful of her sister to let her moon languish, out of sight, when it's pale shine could put at ease the hearts of all her citizens. And so, reluctantly, Celestia had begun to raise the moon.
That first night, she had done so slowly, wrestling with a celestial body unfamiliar to her magic. It resisted her pull through its strangeness, feeling heavier than the sun ever had. But it also felt... cool. Steady. Like a constant, it was calming, and smoothly lifted over the horizon at her gentle tugging. And as it came into sight, she was met with the shadowed visage of her sister's likeness, molded onto the lunar surface, staring back at her in its pale, silver light... And she wept. For entire decades, she could not lift that silvery sphere without crying. Over time, she managed to get a better handle on herself, better at masking the grief-hewned emptiness that grew a little bigger every time. In the last few centuries, she'd managed the moon-raising without breaking her practiced smile, even once... Except during the Summer Sun Celebration. So many ponies looked forward to it, so many delighting in the holiday without knowing what it really stood for... But Celestia never forgot. Which was why, every evening prior to the anniversary itself, she lowered the sun in private. And for that one night, her only company was the moon, in its quiet, silver purity...
Tonight, however, would be different... Having placed the moon into its customary position, she took critical note of the stars positioned around it... Stars she had been watching for nearly every night, since... Well, suffice to say that there had been a reason she'd commissioned a royal observatory. A place she'd been spending a great deal of time, over the last few months in particular.
She knew what was coming- she of all ponies knew- which was why it hadn't been particularly surprising when she'd received a letter from her student earlier that morning.
My dearest Teacher,
My continued studies of pony magic have lead me to discover that we are on the presi- the thrs - the bry - that something really bad is about to happen.
For you see, the mythical Mare in the Moon is in fact Nightmare Moon. And she is about to return to Equestria, and bring with her eternal night! Something must be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true!
I await your quick response.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Celestia recalled the brusque letter. On one hoof, she was immensely amused by her student's neurotic methodology. No doubt the required reading she'd given the little pony had branched out to other subjects almost immediately. And the corrections in Spike's writing from Twilight's diction brought the faintest tug of a smile to her.
But on the other hoof was the subject in question...
In the hollows of her chest was the rhythmic thunder of a drum. A slow, steady pacing that had been growing over the last century, and now throbbed in her being every moment. That thunder quickened as her eyes had skimmed over the name of Nightmare Moon a second time.
Finally. It was finally time. To set into motion her careful centuries of planning. Of searching for the right candidates, arranging circumstances to bring them all together. A land grant here, a pony promoted, opening up a new position there. Marking the bloodlines, studying the prophecies... And the final piece of it all- Twilight. The socially awkward unicorn taken under her wing, who exhibited more raw magical potency than the ancient alicorn had seen in centuries...
She'd been prepping the young mare for months, now. Slipping in a new book or two into her required studies, steering her down the right line of thinking. She was careful this time, not making the same mistakes she had with Sunset Shimmer. That mare had also had the potential, but Celestia had been careless. Letting her advance too quickly in her growth had awakened a hunger for power in Sunset, one that ultimately let to her unfortunate disappearance through a certain magic mirror... No. Celestia had been very careful with Twilight's schooling. There would be none of what had happened with Sunset Shimmer.
She'd then set down the letter she'd received only a heartbeat before, her golden aura encasing a quill and parchment she'd been keeping near. It was a letter she'd been ready to write for over a decade. One she'd taken time and careful study of her student to compose. She knew just what to say, knew just the words she needed to set events in motion. She noticed the trembling of the feather in her grasp, and let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. It was only natural, she supposed, given how long she had been anticipating this. Steeling herself, she'd put the ink-soaked tip to the parchment.
My dearest, most faithful student, Twilight,
You know that I value your diligence, and that I trust you completely. But you simply must stop reading those dusty old books!
My dear Twilight, there is more to a young pony's life than studying. So, I'm sending you to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, at this year's location- Ponyville. And, I have an even more important task for you to complete.
Make some friends!
Your mentor,
Princess Celestia
She chuckled again, at the thought of Twilight's reaction to her response. Truthfully, she adored her little student. Twilight was endearing, and in many ways had helped fill some of the emptiness that existed within her... But there was still a void, a yawning vortex of grief and numbness, expanding ever more in the last thousand years. It had been a struggle, to keep herself from being swallowed by it. From falling into the same all-consuming madness that had taken her sister from her. But it was also the only way she would ever see her again...
And now, soon... All the centuries of patience and careful study were coming to fruition. Once again, Celestia felt the rumble of thunder within her... It was coming. She felt it with every nerve in her being. Like rain after a long drought, she was positively tingling with life. It was an electrifying change from the way she'd numbed herself to the passing of ages. But thunder was loudest where its lightning struck...
She tore her eyes away from the quiet stillness floating overhead, the sparkling of those four stars not lost on her... She'd been waiting a very long time for this, and she still had something left to do. Hoofsteps were muffled by the plush carpet of her apartments as she walked slowly to the ornate vanity, the golden glow of her magic pulling out the chair for her use. There, her crown and necklace already rested, their golden shine darkened by the muted light of evening. Delicately, she stepped out of the golden shoes on the floor before seating herself, gazing numbly at her reflection- and the reflection of the night sky through the open doors of the balcony.
Perhaps it was just her thinking, but the soft moonlight seemed much more brilliant than it had on any other night... Which made the shadow darkening her balcony all the more prevalent. The curtains fluttered at the onset of a chilling breeze, making her coat shudder and stand on end. Her ethereal mane bowed in compliance to it, pushing across her vision and momentarily blinding her. And when her eyes had cleared, the doorway outside had darkened even further... with the black silhouette of an all-too familiar figure...
The thunder in her chest was all but deafening, now.
"...You could have stopped it."
Her voice was midnight velvet. Supple and alluring- the poisonous beauty of a belladonna lily.
"I know you saw it... Do you have any idea how long it took me to arrange the stars that way? How many centuries?..."
Black legs in starlight armor stepped into the view of the mirror. It was taking all of Celestia's considerable discipline to keep from spinning in her seat and face her then.
"There is no way you did not notice! You, of all ponies, would be able to recognize a spell matrix of that enormity!"
Celestia inhaled slowly... The stars shall aid in her escape... If only Twilight knew how literal that part of the prophecy had been. And while Celestia had had no choice in her raising of the moon, the stars were something she'd never touched. Luna had spent ages sculpting the night sky into the breath-taking portrait she'd made of it. Her elder sister had no intention of marring it with her own clumsiness. So there had been no question that the magic moving those celestial bodies belonged to someone else. Someone powerful, and with intimate knowledge of spellcraft. Celestia herself had almost missed the intricate alignment of the constellations. Subtly shifted into invisible tracks and arcane runes, it went unnoticed without the visible lines of the circle. But Celestia had still seen... And she had recognized the arrangement for what it was.
She had also recognized it's obvious flaw... The enormous spell was designed to break the seal she had placed Nightmare Moon under. But in order to function, it required a central piece- a focus. And without it, the spell couldn't function. All she had to do was displace that focal point, and Nightmare Moon would've remained trapped, helplessly...
But Celestia had still raised the moon.
"Why?" Nightmare accused. "Why did you allow me my freedom? Or have you finally accepted that I am your better?"
"No..." Celestia sighed softly, steadying herself as she lifted to her hooves. "I simply... wanted to see you again."
She was trembling from a mixture of anticipation and dread. But she never once ignited her horn, not to cast a protective spell, nor lash out at her adversary... or even replace her crown atop her head. She only rotated herself slowly to meet eyes with the full figure of Nightmare Moon.
"...Hello, sister."
"Hmph." The mare of darkness snorted, her dragon-like green eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Hello, indeed... I don't know what you're playing at, Celestia, but you cannot hope to defeat me, this time. Your connection to the elements was broken when you banished me. So what are you scheming?"
"No..." The alabaster princess shook her head, a sad smile playing on her lips. "No schemes. No plans... I just..." Her eyes were burning, but she withheld her tears. Not yet. "I just wanted to talk to you, Luna."
"Luna? Hah!" Nightmare Moon's fangs gleamed in a wicked smile. "Are you still clinging to that delusion? Luna is gone- only I remain!"
"I don't believe that for a second." Celestia said patiently, her body still. "I've... missed you. So much, sister... And... there's something I've wanted to say to you... For a very long time."
"And what is that, Celestia?" The midnight-black mare sneered. "Do you mean to tell me that you surrender? That you were wrong? Save your petty-"
"I am talking. To my sister." The hardness of Celestia's voice cut the evil alicorn off mid-sentence, genuinely shocking her. But the sun princess' eyes remained lowered, humble, as she took another, steadying breath.
"Luna... I'm sorry... I should've seen it. The pain and the loneliness... I should've been there for you, after the battle with Sombra... But I was so wrapped up in myself I couldn't see straight... And you were the one to suffer for it... I'm so, so sorry, Luna!"
"My name!" Bellowed the dark mare, "Is Nightmare-"
"I! Am talking! To my SISTER!"
Celestia roared in the royal Canterlot voice, effectively silencing Nightmare Moon with a glare. "And you! You parasite! Will remain silent!"
And she did. Nowhere in the memory of either Nightmare Moon nor Luna could either recall such an intense gaze as the one Celestia gave them now. She held it for a very long moment before lifting her head, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply through her nostrils.
"It was... my fault." She began. "All of it... I allowed myself to be swept up by the accolades and the concerns of the nobility. I let myself be consumed by my position, and neglected you... It wasn't you who broke our connection with Elements, it was me..."
The burning in her eyes began to overflow, and Celestia no longer tried to restrain it. "I... am a terrible sister..." Her tears spilled over as she smiled broken-heartedly at the warped visage of her sister.
"I love you, Luna... So much... I-I only wish I... had told you... So much more than I did." Celestia's voice trembled and cracked, paralyzing her audience more than her violent shout ever could.
"I looked... Every day, I looked for a way to save you. I studied every spell, every artifact! I flew to the ends of the earth, and I... When that didn't work, I turned to the prophets. I buried myself in the mysteries, and followed their preparations to the letter. But all I learned... Was that I... wasn't strong enough..."
She bowed her head in shame, the tears pouring down her face. "Not then... And not now... No matter how much I wish it were otherwise, I... I'm not... strong enough... to save you..."
"...Are you done?"
Nightmare Moon's voice was surprisingly void of malice, as she finally spoke. She even allowed Celestia a much needed moment to regain her composure, though her tears did not cease.
"So, then... How do we end this?" The Nightmare questioned calmly.
"...I will not fight you, a second time." Celestia responded in a broken voice. "My mistake before was putting my crown before my sister..." Despite her tremor, the alabaster alicorn locked eyes with her dark mirror. "I'm not making that mistake, again."
"...Very well." Nightmare nodded brusquely, her horn glowing a radiant teal-green to match her eyes. "I have long considered what your fate would be, upon my return... In the end, I decided that it would be most fitting to do the same to you, as you did to me... But I will not be as merciful."
The glowing aura encased Celestia with a suffocating grip, but her gaze remained steady.
"Your spell put my mind to sleep, so that the years passed by as if in a dream." Nightmare growled. "You... protected me... from the madness of my solitude... But you..." The Nightmare leaned closer, so that her breath chilled Celestia's face. "You... will not be so fortunate...
"Do you have... any last words?"
"...Just this." Celestia breathed... and smiled. Not the sculpted smile of a princess, the statuesque expression of a marble statue... But a real smile. A smile of warmth, tears, and joy.
"...Welcome home, Luna."
Author's Note
Hey-lo, everyone! Tenkage, here! Creator of the Historical Equestria series, finally making my debut in the fanfiction portion of the Brony community! I hope you all enjoy this little one-shot I've made. it came to me the night before, and I just had to get it out.
If I'm crazy enough, I may just turn this into a radioplay, since I VA as Trixie in Doctor Whooves the Great (which you should all check out!). In any case, enjoy!
Also, featured art is by farmy4321 on deviantart;
http://farmy4321.deviantart.com/art/Celestia-Weeping-447718226
