Celestia didn't really question Luna's fast disappearance after she got the letter from Twilight. Nether did she question why she returned so late. She just assumed that Twilight needed her immediately, and it just took over night. She already guessed that it had something to do with dreams, since Twilight would have asked Celestia first if she could help, and Luna was the better choice for the matter. But she wouldn't have guessed that her sister went to help stop a threat to Equestria, and she was the one to cause it.
"How was Twilight?" Celestia asked when Luna entered the castle. She was waiting in her throne room, sitting upon her throne, expecting Luna to arrive there.
"Oh. She was fine, she just... Needed some help," Luna said, quieter than her usual voice, stopping in her tracks. She wasn't all surprised that her sister was waiting for her.
Celestia raised an eyebrow. "What did she need help with?" Celestia asked.
"Just... A dream that she and her friends had. She just wanted to know what it was about," Luna said, still quiet.
Celestia kept pressing on the matter "And what was the dream about?"
"Um..." Luna was at a loss for words. What was she going to say? Luna looked at the ground. She really didn't want to talk about the Tantabus, especially since she hidden it from her. Celestia just stared at her, waiting ever so patiently for a response. "A creature," Luna said, staring back at her sister once again. Luna was hoping Celestia would stop there, even if it was a thin hope.
"What kind of creature?" Celestia calmly asked. She wasn't going to let Luna leave until she got the truth from her.
"A... Dream creature," Luna said.
"What kind of dream creature?"
"Oh for goodness sakes! Fine, it was a creature called a Tantubus. It went into Twilight's and her friends dreams, because I made it so I can give myself the same nightmare. And it knew of them because it saw them in my dream! Eventually, it figured about all of Ponyvills residents, and there was this shared dream, and I defeated it because I learnt to forgive myself of my past mistakes!" Luna quickly said, she toke a deep breath. Celestia stared at Luna, her mouth slightly open. Besides Luna speaking very quickly, she understood everything.
"How long has this been happening?" Celestia asked, a hint of anger in her voice.
"What?"
"How long have you been giving yourself nightmares?"
"Oh..." Luna was afraid of this. She knew that this was coming up, and Luna was hoping she could avoid it. She looked back at the ground. Celestia stared at her, a frown upon her face. Luna said in a even more quieter tone than before, "Ever since I returned..." Luna was really afraid now. She thought that Celestia was going to ask her why would she think of such a silly thing, and be angry at her. She did not like facing her sisters anger. It was like facing a giant evil dragon that knew you every move.
Celestia stared at her sister. She didn't move or blink. Luna looked up to see if her sister was still there. Luna couldn't read her eyes, she couldn't tell if her sister was angry, pitiful, or anything. Celestia stood up, walking towards Luna. Luna backed away a bit, once again breaking eye contact. She felt like a little filly, about to be scolded by a very angry mother.
"Look at me, Luna," Celestia said. To Luna's surprise, There was no anger, or pity, in her voice. It sounded like something else. But Luna couldn't tell what. She looked Celestia in the eye. Celestia stared at Luna, her soul penetrating stare looking her up and down. Celestia sighed, "I should have known you wouldn't forgive you self that easily," Celestia said.
Luna just gazed at her sister. "I - I beg you pardon?" Luna said.
Celestia turned around from her sister, and stared walking back to her throne. "I guess 1000 years thought me nothing," she said. Luna stared at her. Did she even her me? Luna thought to herself.
"Celestia, what are you saying?" Luna asked. Celestia sighed, she stopped and turned around to face her sister again.
"I thought a 1000 years would teach me something. Apparently, it didn't," Celestia said. Luna could see sadness in her sisters eyes, tears were forming on the side of them.
"Dear sister, wasn't it supposed to teach me something?" Luna asked. Celestia shooked her head.
"No. You did nothing wrong, but I did everything wrong," Celestia said.
"Celestia, I am the one who turned into a monster and almost killed you! How was that you fault?" Luna asked. Celestia laughed.
"It's nice to know that you, like all ponies put me so high on a peddle stool, thinking that I'm perfect and make no mistakes," Celestia said.
"That still doesn't answer my question," Luna said, slightly annoyed that her sister wasn't going st right to the point. Celestia nodded.
"Your right, it doesn't," she sighed "If I wouldn't have been so blind to you sadness and anger, you wouldn't even needed to choose between Night Mare Moon and yourself. You wouldn't have felt like such an outcast," Celestia said, sadness in her voice. Tears stared forming on the side of her eyes again, "And, even after 1000 years of misery and regret knowing that I cause you so much pain, I ignored you once more," Celestia couldn't take it anymore. Bottling her feeling for so long takes a toll on every ponies hearts, even if they are strong. She let her tears flow freely, breaking eye contact from Luna.
Luna stared at her sister. Seeing Celestia this way was unbearable. Luna felt like she was going to break and cry as well. Luna never knew her sister felt this way, she thought it was only her who felt so miserable for a 1000 years. Just remembering them brings a tear to Luna's eyes. She shooked the felling off. I have to be strong, for Tia.
"Celestia, I - I never knew this hurt you so much," Luna said, trying her best to hide her feelings from her voice. Celestia looked at Luna, tears still in her eyes.
"How could it not?! I made you into a monster, banished you, and put a bad history behind you name, just because I was a horrible sister! And, here I am, waving an smiling at everypony pretending I was the hero, but in truth, I was the real villain," Celestia said, almost screaming the words. "I've been doing that for a 1000 years, and once I finally had you back, I ignored you," Celestia said, in a much more quite tone. Luna stared at her.
"I can tell that you've been hiding this. Very well, might I add," Luna said. Celestia gave her a angry look, Luna, just noticing what she said, gave a nervous laugh, "not like I admire you doing it!" She laughed again. This put a smile to Celestias face. Luna smiled to.
"I - I'm sorry Luna. I never noticed how much pain I have been bottling up," Celestia said, a smile on her face. "It really helps saying it out loud," she added. Luna stared at her sister, a smile still on her face. She walked up to Celestia, and hugged her.
"Trust me, I know exactly how you feel," Luna said. Celestia was slightly shocked at fist. But she quickly dismissed that and hugged Luna back. They stood there, hugging each other for a good 10 seconds. Celestia broke first. She looked Luna in the eye.
"That still doesn't dismiss the huge mistake I made," Celestia said, a frown upon her face again. Luna shooked her head.
"Well, I guess the lesson I learned is something you need to," Luna said, "I was taught by Twilight and her friends that I should always forgive myself, even if its hard. Becuase the past is in the past, and the present is the only thing that matters the most," Luna said, a smile on her face, "can you forgive yourself?" Luna added. Celestia looked at her. Celestia was deep in thought.
"Do you forgive me?" Celestia said. Luna looked at her. Truth be told, she never hated her sister for ignoring her, she never thought of it. She was always to busy thinking of her transformation, that she rarely ever thought of the before. As she thought of it right there and than, she noticed that what Celestia said was true, but she didn't hate her. She couldn't hate her. After all, she only did it because of the people, she cared for them and watched them, that she was to busy. And Luna didn't blame her for that. She smiled.
"I already have," Luna said. Celestia looked at her. She smiled, once more tears fromed in her eyes. She hugged Luna.
"Thank you," she whispered into her ear. Luna smiled, and she whispered back,
"Your welcome."
Celestia broke again. She cleared her voice. "Well, I think we had enough felling for the day, don't you think?" Celestia said. Luna smiled and laughed.
"Now, there's the Celestia I know and love!" Luna said. Celestia smiled.
"If you excuse me, I have a kingdom to run, I and you." She said. She turned around and headed back to the throne. Luna walked up to her.
"Sister?"
"Yes, Luna?"
"I love you."
"I love you, to"
