It had been a long day. First, shortly after raising the sun, a Royal Guard alerted you to a small panic in the west wing of the castle, where the inhabitants- including the Zebra ambassadors- stampeded away from a raging pack of socks turned carnivorous. It seemed that one of your pupils, Glittering Ray most likely, was having too much fun trying to animate any inanimate objects he could. It wasn't even a full day since he turned all the toilets, in the left wing, into a singing choir of 'your poot smells like poop'. While mildly amusing at first, you felt more than irritated when your first few attempts to quiet the singing toilets turned singing into a rousing cry of 'Hail Her Glutinous Maximums, Sunbutt, The Mighty Pooter of the Poot!'
Very insulting. Your flank wasn't THAT big.
Not two seconds passed after lifting the 'sockarex spell'- so dubbed by Glitter Ray himself- when your presence was demanded in court, to preside over the business of your little ponies. Said business today involved several disputes about land agreements, disagreements on the interpretations of wills, and- oddly- a demand for the decoration of Tea Day, where all Equestria would break from their labors for a twenty-four hour period and do nothing but preform tea ceremonies, eat tea cakes, talk tea ethics, drink teas, and create literature centered around tea.
The proposal was shot down before the twitchy unicorn could finish the eight verse of his 'Ode to Tea' sonnet.
Around lunch, once you sternly told your schedule planner that an immortal being who cared for the light- and thus life- of Equestria would be no good to any pony if she were to faint from hunger, you finally settled down to enjoy a nice cucumber and spinach sandwich- purposely drinking juice instead of your usual tea. After a few blissful munches into your sandwich, you received three letters from your ever faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, falling onto the table in a jumbled heap. The first letter you picked up didn't make much sense, simple reading.
'All good. No worries. Don't sweat a thing, it's cleared now- Twilight'
Well that was good. That was until you read the second letter, comprising of:
'Help! We're being attacked by hydra who keeps demanding that he preforms 'Omelet the Cheese Danish' Written, produced, acted and copyrighted by himself, Willy Stakesbeard!- Your ever faithful student, Twilight Sparkle'
You simply stare at the sandwich, unable to swallow as you open the last letter with hesitation.
'Turns out that 'Omelet the Cheese Danish' wasn't that bad of a show! Now that we made friends with him, Mayor Mare has appointed him as the new Community Theater Conductor. So don't worry. It's-'
The letter was cut off mid sentence. You blink, turning back to the first letter. With a sigh, you set all three away, some how feeling that your only personal time of the day, lunchtime, had been violated by something that was over, didn't involve you, or needed your attention.
The rest of the day was a blur of: inspecting guards, greeting officials, dealing with trade agreements, teaching your afternoon classes, holding joint court, presiding over the evening banquet, which involved more jaw flapping than actually eating- seems like most ponies forget that your need to eat is equal, or greater, than their own.
After lowering the sun to his bed, turning castle duties over to your sister and telling every pony- more like demand actually- that the day was concluded and that you were going to retire and rest from your daily labors for the night, you finally arrive at your room. You feel rather bedraggled as you lay in bed, sighing as the sweet silence wraps so easily around your ears. After hearing enough 'your highness's and 'please consider's the silence was as welcome as a cup of tea.
Uuhhg. Tea was the last thing you wanted to think of. The line: 'How I love thy beating heart bleeding to make my brew' had made you reconsider your appetite in the stuff.
It was then, that you noticed a letter on your bedside table. It looked like a thick one, but the slender, flowery text that read your name on the outside showed that the letter was from Luna, rather than another one from Twilight. As much as you love your little Twili, four letters a day was getting a little much.
Reaching out with your magic, you gently lift the letter, wondering what your sister could have to say, that she chose this median rather than tell you in person.
Dearest Sister,
Before you consider my words which I shall speak, I must warn you that I have cast a 'no peeking' spell, so you have to read every word and cannot skip over any of what I have to say.
You sigh, glancing down the letter to see the rest of the page was blurred out. Yup. Okay, lets get this over with. What did Luna have to say to warrant such a silly spell?
Now that I've got that out of the way, I have many things that I wish to say to you. I know that you are wondering why I have chosen to writer rather than speak these words upon thine ear. There I go again. Speaking in all flowers, yet no substance. This is why I chose to write. At least here I won't be as conscious about how I say things, and get to the nit a grit of what I really want to say.
And yet you still haven't said a thing. Oh this is going to be a long letter. A quick check shows several sheets of blurry writing, proving your suspicious.
Sister. Celi. It's been a few years since I've come back from the moon, and I thought I'd reflect with you on what has been our life until now. We use to do this, from time to time. As sister, look back and remember what makes us who we are. Rulers of this land, but more importantly, the risers of the sun and moon.
You could appreciate that sentiment. It had been a while since you had the chance to look back at what life gave you, and count your own blessings.
Back when we were fillies, I looked up to you. You were always loved. Brave and strong. You could say that I was a little, what do the colts and fillies say these days? 'Jelly' of you?
The attempt at using modern day slang made you both chuckle and roll your eyes at your sister's note.
But I always loved you. Sure we fought over the years, but remember how we looked upon the little ponies from where we lived, away from it all? Our mother would tell us everyday that we were meant to save them. That the day would come when we would be strong enough to protect them.
The image of your mother, Lauren, appeared in your mind. Letting your eyes close for a moment, you shed a tear, still wondering why she left you and your sister one day, without saying a word. How you missed her.
When mother left, we knew that we were ready. She had taught us that the Elements of Harmony alone could help us rule. And so we searched out for the Tree of Harmony. Oh the dangers we faced. Windigos, hydras, carnivorous plants, toxic bogs, bugbears, the list goes on and on, but we finally found it. We had accomplished our first victory, together, as sisters.
You feel your breast swell with pride as you remember these accomplishments.
And so we gained the Elements of Harmony, and confronted Discord, turning him into stone, sealing him for the time being. It was then that the ponies of this land looked to us to protect and rule over them, and so we did.
Images of celebrations and hundreds of years of peace and plenty flashed across your mind. Oh, how the time flew.
And so we ruled side by side, until the fateful day came that I realized something, that has always shamed me, even now. I was living in your shadow.
A pang of sorrow hit your heart. Oh Luna, why would you think that? We always lived as equals.
I felt like I was the lesser because ponies basked in the light of the sun, playing, working, living, but slept during the night, not seeing the stars I arranged, the northern lights I made dance, or the moon I caused to rise. I was hurt, because while you so effortlessly cause the sun in his glory to rise, I painstakingly chose out the stars, positioned them and garbed the moon in her pale, glowing cloak to make her presentable for all to look at and admire. When so few saw this, my heart was crushed, and I felt like the sun over shadowed the moon, and thus make her weep.
You understood her words. While you might not know how that felt, you could see how it could be hard to bear.
And so, I turned. I had darkness in me, and let that spread, thus becoming a nightmare. We fought, and thus you banished me to the moon, for a thousand years. And so you ruled in peace.
The memory of forcing the Elements of Harmony on your sister still stung your heart.
At least, that is what you've let yourself believe.
You blink, rereading the line. No, that's how it happened. Why was she saying differently?
Sister, Celi, on that night, I didn't refuse to lower the moon.
Uhh, yeah, she did. That's why you confronted her. That's why you two fought. That's why you, I don't know, banished her.
You came to me. You were not right. The task of raising the sun each day, seeing your own will rise something of so importance over this world made you think highly of yourself. You felt like the sun would only obey you. That you two were one in spirit. That if he was the light bringer to the world, you were the life giver, as you alone coaxed him out of bed everyday to walk his travels over the sky, to give his gift to all. You saw him as a god, and yourself his goddess.
You stared at the words. The paragraph you just uncovered stunned you. What was she saying? You were immortal. She was too. They had power that others did not have, and they alone could move the celestial bodies. That certainly put them at goddess status. Didn't it?
You came to me, on that day, with the Elements of Harmony and demanded that I give the moon and submit myself to you, not as a sister, but as the only goddess of this world. I refused. You attacked me first, claiming that if I would not yield then you'd make me. That not only was the sun yours, but the moon was as well. You had become drunken with power.
No, no, no! That's not how it happened! She wouldn't lower the moon! She had been jealous! She had even said she was at the beginning of the letter! She was lying!
When I proved to be stronger than you were capable of handling, you turned the Elements on me, but you forgot. No one pony can use all the Elements on their own. Not even a goddess.
That faithful night burst into your mind. Conflicting images bashed around your skull as if they were you and your sister still locked in a death grip. The truth and a lie were clawing at each other in your brain, but which was which?
The Elements back fired and crippled you, sister. They've distorted your memory. You angered them by thinking yourself higher than you were and your attempt to use the brute strength of your magic and will to force them upon what was neither evil or had ill intent.
Lies! Lies!
This is not the first time we've had this conversation, dear sister. I come to visit you every year to see if the damage has been healed and the illusions been lifted.
Illusions?
For you see, I was never banished. When I do come to visit, you talk of a student of yours. Twilight Sparkle. You tell me of all her adventures that she tells you about in her letters. I'm sorry, but Twilight doesn't exist.
You stare at the words. You read them over and over again. Of course Twilight existed! She sent you three letters today! How could she not if she didn't exist?
My last visit, you showed her to me. Her and her friends, that you created out of manikins and animated with what magic the Elements of Harmony left you with.
No...this couldn't be true. This just couldn't be true. As your eyes filled with tears, stinging your eyes, you force yourself to read on, praying in your own name that this was some kind of sick prank.
I'm sorry Celi, but I tried to help. At first, I tried to play along, hoping that when you saw they didn't talk to me or interact with me, you'd snap out of it. But, that just proved to strengthen your delusion, thinking that they had cured me of being 'Nightmare Moon'. I couldn't bare to watch. And so I left for a year. When I do visit, and try to talk to you, you somehow spin it into one of your elaborate fantasies that we're at a castle in a place called Canterlot. When I ask, 'if we both live in the castle, why don't you see me every day?' you answer with, 'well, you raise the moon and I the sun. We're both keeping court and princess duties take all day, so I don't get to see you often. Quite frankly, sometimes, its like I haven't seen you in years.'
Come to think of it. After the short time you saw Luna earlier today, you hadn't noticed her about in a while.
I stay away because I think it's the best. I'm sorry, but this is my last visit. My heart can't bear this anymore. Good bye Celestia. I love you.
Luna
A sense of dread falls over as you realize there is still one page left. Hesitantly you start to bring it to light. This could be it. This could be her saying 'fooled ya' and pulling off the most elaborate prank that ever happened with nothing but a simple letter. Or...Or this could be something worse. As your magic held the last page. It only had one word on it.
Stitches.
With a scream you let it drop and throw yourself onto your bed, covering your head, as if you were just a little filly.
“This is all a dream!” You cry to yourself. “This is all a dream! This is all a dream!”
A gentle voice whispers near by. “If you wish it to be.”
The next morning you wake, more rested than you felt in ages. You'd have to thank Luna for that sometime. You pause. The iname puzzles you for a moment, though you can't figure out why. Luna...Lu-na...With a shrug, you look towards your window and bow lowly, letting your magic seep into the sky and bring forth the sun.
You turn around and blink in surprised to joy to see Twilight was standing at the door, grinning at you.
“I made it here late last night.” She explains. “Want to have breakfast together? And I'll tell you all about Mr. Shakesbeard!”
“Of course I would!” You beam, trotting over to her, walking over the letter from the night before. You glance down at it, confusion causing your brow to furrow. Was that important?
“Coming?” Twilight asked.
“Yes.” You reply, moving on, ignoring the stitches on Twilight's neck.
