By the Moonlight

By the Moonlight

The Seventh - Flicker

Celestia tossed and turned once more. Maybe she'd adjust and be able to ease herself into slumber. Then again, the chances of that happening seemed rather slim, what with the thoughts plaguing her at this hour. Oh, little sister, why did it ever have to come to that?

She kept telling herself that there was no one to blame- that she had tried diplomacy before anything else and that even then, Luna hadn't quite been herself when she was banished. But even so, the fact that the potential for such a scenario even existed and that Luna, however uncharacteristically bitter, had to endure a millennium of exile brought pain to her heart. Even more pitifully, the unquenchable loneliness she had felt during that time made her feel so selfish.

It was only natural she missed her sister, but she was a ruler above all else, and if things got in the way of her nation's security, she was the first one who was expected to do something about it. And yet she had cried every night for all those years- for herself and for the sister she loved and lost- until she hardly even remembered why she was weeping in the first place.

When she had returned, Luna- no, Nightmare Moon. It wasn't Luna and it would never be Luna. Luna was the one you sobbed for, the one you loved with all your heart and missed so much, the one you wished you could have saved.

The Elements had come together then, for the first time in her lifetime, and Luna's shell had been shattered by the might of friendship. But true friendship seemed to have forsaken the two sisters. Luna was still her confidante and co-ruler, and she hers, but there seemed to be a stifling air of withdrawal  between them. And the worst part was that one of the mightiest and most-revered ponies in all of Equestria had no idea how to begin removing the barrier. There were so many wounds... Perhaps a little walk would help her think- and so the princess rose from her bed and stepped out of her quarters.

As the white alicorn passed one of the castle's many balconies, however, a sound caught her attention. It was a pitiful wail- and the voice behind it was hauntingly familiar. Celestia froze. "Luna? Is that you?"