The dark final year

    The sun set in beautiful colors, Luna had always appreciated her sister's artistic side, staring at the sun slowly set below the horizon as she briskly walked through  the city preparing for tonight, she planned it to be special with many constellations and bright highlight stars that dazzled brighter than diamonds. She could all ready envision it, a few sparkles here and some blue accent stars there and maybe some that flashed different colors.

   "Good afternoon princess." A pink pegasus mare greeted as the Princess passed by.

    "Oh good afternoon Miss but, is it technically good night? Since the beautiful night is nearing it's time to rise?"  Luna pointed out.

   "I suppose so."

   "Well, anyway, I will be preparing an especially beautiful sky, please do watch as the stars rise tonight, you may even see some pictures and lots of color. Tell your friends." The excitement could obviously be seen in the younger Princess' face.

   "Is that so? Well then I will be out tonight then."

   "How wonderful, This evening shall be an extravagant one. Good night." Luna continued.

   "Good night." The pegasus moved on.

   The princess flew toward the low lit sky waiting for the sun to go down, "Come on already." her excitement made her impatient and as she waited she flew and landed on the cliff above the Canterlot city, she sat and watched the sun lower slowly taking it's sweet sweet time. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to start raising the moon now." So she began raising her moon and arranging the stars accordingly. Soon as she was now entertained the sky was dark with twinkling stars, she scattered bright ones and accented the sky with colored stars. Feeling ambitious she arranged gold stars around the moon set in it's place for now, like a gold crown the stars surrounded the white circle in the sky.

"I said Tonight is going to be different and it certainly is. I hope the ponies are pleased." she arranged constellations in a form of rabbits and birds and other small creatures, soon she was done and pleased with her art. "Maybe I can talk Tia into a lunar eclipse, that would be interesting haven't had those in a while.  She flew over the city to see if any pony was watching but like every night there was no pony, no pony but castle guards in front of the palace doors was watching, and even they did not appreciate her night, they just stared into the dark streets before them.  It was like this every night but something deep within her heart sank, Luna could not comprehend it, she always tolerated this behavior after all, many ponies are working harder than ever before, it's like time grows shorter for day to day lives of ponies but it's the same like it always has been and Luna made sure of it. The same solstice patterns were the same pattern year round, Celestia hasn't raised the sun earlier then it should in it's season and neither has she herself raised the moon earlier then it should in it's season except for tonight, tonight was the exception. It wasn't like it was when she first learned her destiny and painted the night sky in glitters as everypony watched as she had fun with it as a filly, raising the moon in ease compared to all the unicorns struggling raising the the stars and moon to it's proper place in time of day, how she longed for those days again when she was appreciated for her work but now Celestia gets all the credit. "Well, if nopony will observe my night then surely her sister will come and watch for a little while." she flew into the palace upper floor through the balcony door, a candle dimly lit the room as Celestia sat at a desk writing and signing papers one pile to another, "Umm.. Sister I wish not bother you but I was hoping-"

  "I meant to talk with you." Celestia said in monotone.

   "You have?" Luna was confused

   "Yes I have, I noticed you rose the moon early tonight."

   "Oh, that. Well you see I was kinda meaning to talk to you about that also."

  "And your excuse?" Celestia's back faced Luna as she continued with her work.

    This conversation is quickly becoming uncomfortable Luna thought, "Well, my impatience got the best of me and I rose it early, I had planned a special night." she almost felt herself pleading with her sister in that last statement but Celestia kept shifting from paper to paper not even a turn from her to look her in the eye. "I was hoping you might take a break and come out for a bit? I put a lot of work out there and no one seems to appreciate it." she looked down to the floor disheartened, Celestia paused for a moment and then kept going.

   "LuLu, I can't afford even a minute you know that, working out the land boundaries between the buffalo clans and the apploosans is stressful enough as it is." she still faced her work as she continued on.

    "Maybe, my night will help ease the stress, surely the buffalo clans and the apploosans can wait for just 2 minutes."

    Celestia sighed in frustration, "Luna." she took a breath before she might explode about the land boundary nonsense and the irritating plea for attention her sister wishes for at this time, she could have picked anytime after this but she picked this time. Celestia exhaled, actually exploding the land with dynamite so neither party might has crossed her mind. "Luna, do you think the buffalos and apploosans appreciate my work?"

    "I'm sure they appreciate the time you put in to sort this conflict out." Luna's optimism started to get to her.

    "My point is not everyone will get noticed for their work, so there's no point in complaining. Maybe I'll come see your work later." Celestia's cold words stung the younger princess without turning in acknowledgment made the situation feel worse.

    "Well, if that's how it's going to be.." Luna's words began to crack as she tried to hold back the tears. "I have to go.. there is business I must attend to."

   Celestia sighed again and turned around, "Luna I didn't mean to-" and she was gone, out the window with the breeze gently moving the curtains, she saw the night created with a beautiful moon crested in gold stars around it with colors splashing the dark canvas, Celestia got up from her wooden chair to further observe the artistic talent. "Oh Luna."

   away in the forbidden everfree forest under the crack in the surface in a small cave grew the thriving tree of harmony and it's elements, the sun then the moon then the star shaped element of harmony and unto the ground sobbed the princess of the moon, "Nobody appreciates my night not even my sister!" she cried, her voice cracked and was nasally.  Nobody knew where she was, when she needed her alone time the tree of harmony was where she was, not even her sister considered looking for her there, she only visited the tree when needed. Looking up at her cutie mark carved into the crystal tree that illuminated the cavern a blue hue, she looked up a little higher at the sun staring at her sister's cutie mark.

"Perhaps I'm just blowing things out of proportion." she sniffed, "after all she has been stressed lately, perhaps that was the reason of her reaction." the thought of helping her with the load of work crossed her mind but every time she offered the help her sister turned her down and even shooed her out of the room, she wouldn't want to get her sister mad. "What if i could help without writing up papers?" she pondered the idea, then she came up with a plan. She didn't know if it would work but she had to try for the sake of her sister's health and sanity and maybe even for her approval.

   Early in the morning, before the sun broke the horizon an Alicorn dark as the night fought the white snow beating  against her. "Maybe I should have just waited the storm out." the bitter cold stung the tips of her ears, nose, and hooves. She could barely see through with the dim lighting.

Soon cabins could barely make it's shape in the distance, smoke did not even reach the sky before it was swept away by the wind and snow.

She arrived in front of the cabins and formed a magic bubble around herself to shield against the flakes of ice, she shook the them off her coat, the frost on her wings made flying a labored task. "How did I not think of even bringing a scarf?! Ugh, suppose the luxury of living in a warm palace got the best of me." she looked toward the cabin she landed in front of which had a soft glow of a warm fire inside it, "Surely civilians will welcome a royal in need?" she walked toward it having the magic bubble follow her path, she then shielded the door, if someone on the other side were to open it they wouldn't want a blast of snow ruining the coziness inside. She knocked hoping someone will answer her, surely someone did, the pony inside cracked the door a fourth of an inch, "Do not fear, your cabin will be shielded from the snow." the pony opened the door fully, to her surprise it was a royal.

   "P-Princess, please do come inside!" the door slammed shut behind as soon as she walked in, the warmth of the cabin gave relief from the bitter cold, even her hoofs stung in relief.

   "Thank you my little pony, your generosity could not be repaid by a million bits." The yellow mare's orange mane gleamed by the light of the fire but her face did not give the same response she looked to the floor disheartened.

   "Actually even just 10 bits would help." she said softly, she looked to the white cradle by the corner of the living space. "She's sleeping now, she cried and cried and has a fever but we can't afford to see a doctor, we can barely make ends meet. Now with the borders being threatened by the buffalo hurds we may have to move out but that would mean we would go homeless." she shivered at the thought. "My husband has been working hard to make a settlement with the land but nobody seems to be happy with even a compromise with both sides sacrificing and now with this weather for the last couple weeks our apple tree's have died do to the frost. I don't know what we'll do." her ears fell back in hopelessness.

   This could be my chance Luna thought, to make a difference in the world. "Actually that is exactly what I came here for, I was hoping i might help with the borders, it's even affecting my sister Celestia. I will do everything in my power to make sure your family is happy and healthy too."

   A shimmer of hope sparkled in the young mother's heart for now she has a Royal taking her side, she may get the help needed for her foal.

"Thank you Princess, this is cause for celebration. We don't have much but I must at least offer tea for your generosity."

   "No, save your tea for yourself, your generosity is thanks enough."

   "But Princess I insist." the mare took a kettle braved the snow and filled it and put it over the fire.

   "If you must for the ease of your conscience." Luna felt bad they were sacrificing even their tea for her, it isn't much but it's all they have.

   "I didn't even introduce myself, how rude of me. I am Ginger Spice, my daughter is Apple Sweet, and my husband, who will be up shortly, is Autumn Pearmane."

    "So orchard related." Luna was surprised.

   "Well we do grow apples for a living after all." The piercing cries of Apple Sweet broke the conversation, Ginger ran over to the crib to check on her

filly's fever, her ears pinned back. "Her fever still hasn't broke, I fear the worst if she doesn't get medical care soon." Luna walked over to the crib to examine the foal.

    "I am no medical professional but have you considered putting ice over her?" Ginger looked at her like she was crazy.

   "Umm.. No I was always told to let a fever sweat out, I had her near the fire and extra blankets and everything but it isn't going away."

   "If a branch was on fire how would you put it out?" Luna carried the cradle in her magic and set it near the snow frosted window.

   "What are you doing?"

    "Putting the fire out." she removed the blankets over the foal as she cried "How long has she had this fever?"

   "What are you doing? you're doing it wrong, you'll hurt her." The mother feared for her baby, this royal that was on her side is now trying to injure her baby.

    "What choice do you have?" Luna questioned  and Ginger's ears back, "there is no doctor available at this time so we must make do, we can only try." she took a small ball of snow from outside and wrapped it in some of the clothe that was put over the baby earlier and put it on her forehead. "There that should do it, we must reduce the fever by cooling it down not by heating it up. Here hold it there." Luna released the small ball as soon as the earth pony held it in it's place, the filly continued to shriek. "We don't want to induce Hypothermia so since she is small be sure to put it off and on for every five minutes."

   "What is going on?" a stallion came from another room.

   "We didn't mean to wake you." Ginger apologized, while holding the ball of snow to Apple's forehead.

    Autumn ran over to the crib, "What are you too doing, she's gonna catch a cold. She's sick enough as it is all ready."

    Luna cleared her throat, "No disrespect good sir but burning a fever is in no way a means to burn it out. I say we must at least give it a try."

The baby turned red in the face as it cried so hard no sound came out, Autumn removed the solid liquid ball and Ginger pleaded. seeing the situation escalate quickly as her efforts were in vain, She had to do something or this foal isn't going to see the sun rise this day. "I'm going! I'll take Apple sweet with me. This is obviously getting us nowhere so I'll take her to a nearby doctor, where is this doctor, tell me then I will go."

    "Do you think, after breaking in our home then try to sicken our child further we're just gonna let you take her?" the angered stallion said in a deep voice as he walked toward Luna.

    "Technically I was invited in. As I said this situation is going nowhere, we must get the child medical attention, come with me and lead me to the doctor then you will know that i have no intentions of harming Apple sweet." Luna said calmly as she was well aware that she may need to protect herself from this fierce some father. Luna wrapped apple sweet in her blankets she previously had on with her magic, the father agreed to come with Luna in the mighty storm that awaits outside.

    "Ginger stay here." Autumn commanded

   "No I'm coming."

    "Your staying here there are no compromising today."

    Ginger looked at him in strong concern but gave in to his wish, Luna carried the child in her magic and Autumn followed. Just outside the door shielded from the cold by Luna's magic bubble she stared at the clouds for a moment, Autumn observed wondering why she didn't get a move on already, "Why haven't I thought of this before?" Luna with another flick of her horn the murky clouds stopped dropping there beads of ice clearing out there vision to view what's ahead of them, it wasn't perfect but it was enough. "Now, point out the residents." Luna turned to Autumn who was in awe of the storm that had stopped.

    "Oh right.." he muttered, "There." he pointed to a cabin that was quite aways. He followed in the magical bubble that melted the path of snow as they trotted. As Apple quieted down a little she began to cough as it sounded like she was going to drown in mucus that congested her chest. Upon this sudden development  they looked at each other and began to gallop to the cabin.

    "She does not sound well." Luna thought out loud.

    "You think?!" Autumn rough voice pierced. In a stretched route to their destination Luna broke through the door quickly with the stallion following behind and shut it in a timely manner before the flakes of snow could rush in. The dark cabin whistled as the wind roared outside and only the sound of a congested filly's cough could be heard.

    "Are we even in the right place?" Luna lifted a hoof, Autumn retrieved Apple from Luna's magical aura and called out.

    "Doc! Doc!" A pony came rushing in, his electric blue mane in a hot mess as if he just got out of bed. "Doc you have to help my daughter she has fallen Ill! She has a cough and a high fever and this Alicorn here came to.. supposedly, help." Autumn watched Luna carefully as the Dr. approached determining how severe the situation has become.

    "Here!" he gestured, "Put her here, we need to get the fever down first. Autumn, I need you to grab a moist cloth. Princess , there are blankets in the cupboard over there, grab a light one and put it over her, don't want her freezing but we don't want it too warm for her either." the light brown pony ran and retrieved a bottle of water for the infant mixing elderberries in it, while he was at it he started a kettle with the same berries in them to create a brew of tea.

    "Should we not put ice over her?" Luna questioned.

    "Princess, I understand medicine is not your strong suite, ice will cause her to shiver raising her core temp." Autumn put a wet cloth over the filly's forehead as the Dr. lectured, the infant continued to cough and spitting up phlegm, the Doc then plopped the bottle of elderberries into her mouth and she sucked on it just for a moment then turned away. "You have to have liquids, we don't want you to dehydrate." he tried forcing it into her mouth once more and was turned away. Autumn offered to keep trying and accepted the bottle. "Why wasn't she brought in sooner?" he questioned with his glasses nearly falling off.

    The father flinched, "Doc, you know how hard jobs are around these parts of the country. We just couldn't afford paying you, we simply didn't have the bits to even care for ourselves." his eyes glossed with tears yet his ego did not allow them to fall.

    "Autumn! This is your daughter's life we're talking about here. Your willing to bypass her health for bits?"

    "No! I wouldn't now for one sec, everything was completely under control.. until this morning." he whimpered. "Your right, we're talking about my daughter's life here and your willing to bypass that unless you get paid?"

     "Now I never said such a thing, I wouldv'e-" the Doctor was cut short by Luna's intervention.

    "Enough! I will pay the bill. Just focus on Apple Sweet she needs both of your attention!" She stomped.

     The two bickering stallions looked each other in the eye, for a moment they said nothing then they nodded in agreement and continued to only focus on Apple Sweet during the dawn hours of the day as the sun still bordered the mounts waiting for Celestia to take it to it's destination.