Futures Forged From Friendships Pastby RC2101_CopeyChaptersDimming StarsA Brighter StarLogical OutcomeJourney's StartDimming StarsThe night air was crisp as Celestia looked upon the weak light of the moon. She would have normally smiled when she looked around, but something was missing. The lights of the stars were dim, and the moon’s muted glow looked as if it was ready to go out like a candle. She knew that her sister’s mood was a direct influence on the night sky and its beauty. Spreading her wings, Celestia took a short flight to Luna’s balcony and walked through the still open door. After a brief scan of the room, she found it empty. She was about to leave and search elsewhere when the covers of Luna’s bed caught her eye. Walking up next to the bed and removing the dark covers with her magic, she found Luna lying with her back towards her, her movements showing signs of distress. Celestia leaned her head closer in an attempt to lure her sister’s attention, but Luna shifted her position and buried her head in her pillow. “Luna, what’s bothering you?” “Nothing that requires worrying, dear sister,” Luna said through her pillow. “Luna.” Celestia walked to the other side of the bed, and Luna rolled over to again avoid her sister. “Luna, the stars are dimming; something is wrong.” “You could say it is fatigue from a lack of sleep. And it would not be hard to point the hoof at the reason for that; it seems to be standing at my bedside.” Celestia huffed in frustration before walking around to the other side. “Luna, I’ve seen you go a week without sleep and still have your stars bright enough to blind.” “If you enjoy staring at stars so much, go back to your room and stare at your marefriend’s flank; she has six of them.” Luna rolled over again, still refusing to look at her sister. Celestia, red in the face, couldn’t form a coherent sentence, but she couldn’t let Luna get away with the jab about Twilight. Lighting her horn, she lifted the bed, tilting the head up to the ceiling and the foot to the floor. Luna squeaked as gravity took hold and she slid down. With a small ‘oompf,’ she fell in a heap, bed-sheets and all, at her sister’s hooves. Luna managed to untangle her head and, lifting it, gave Celestia a glare that could level mountains. Celestia took it, and sat down to be face to face. “Luna—we both know that our charges reflect our innermost feelings. Yours have been getting dimmer. Please, stop keeping things bottled up. Luna, what is wrong?” Luna was silent for a short while; instead of speaking, she looked out through her balcony doors at the nightscape she had painted. The stars were indeed dull. Knowing that she had no way out, she turned back to her sister. “Truthfully, Tia, I must confess that I have been feeling lonely as of late.” Celestia’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? You have friends, you have—” Luna silenced her sister, her magic holding her mouth closed. “I know what you are going to say. First, you would start off with the Element Bearers. Yes, those six mares are, and will always be, my friends; I owe them that much for what they did for me. I have our niece, Cadenza, and her husband. One could go so far as to say I am friends with every denizen of Ponyville, after the Tantabus escapade.” Luna looked away, not bearing to look her sister in the eyes. “But they are your friends, Sister. I met them through you, and I know that means nothing to them, and it shouldn’t to me, but it does—it leaves a gnawing feeling inside.” She looked back up. “With my thousand-year absence, I have yet to make a friend that wasn’t already yours. I know it may be selfish, but I want a friend that I can call truly mine, and I fear it may take another half century before such an event can come about.” She finally released her sister’s mouth, expecting to be admonished for her selfishness. Instead, Celestia just sat there, half-stunned, half-worried. The verbal tirade never came; Luna found herself engulfed in two white wings and a neck pressed against her own. Feeling something splatter on her back, Luna pulled away to find her sister crying slightly. “Oh, Luna,” said Celestia. “I can see why you didn’t want to tell me, but I still wish you had.” She drew them both back together. “I can’t believe I never considered this would happen. What kind of sister am I?” Luna pushed her back until they were eye to eye. “You are the best sister a mare could ask for, and far more than I deserve.” Celestia sniffled loudly, wiping her eyes slightly. “I still don’t know how I could overlook this. There must be somepony.” “Neigh, sister. I have spent the last few nights pondering this, and I have come up blank.” Luna shuffled around so that she was now resting side by side with Celestia, merely enjoying her warmth. But Celestia had already zoned out. I know there must be somepony. I mean, it’s not as if one of her friends from before her banishment are … still… around. Huh. An idea was forming. An idea so crazy, it just might provide the solution for her sister’s unhappiness, as well as a threat to national security. Turning to Luna, she composed her expression into one of innocence. “Luna?” “Yes, Sister?” Luna asked, partly concerned for whatever her sister was planning. “What about your old friend, Chrysalis?” Luna went slack-jawed, her eyes blinking rapidly. After all this time, Luna never once thought Celestia would willingly bring up the Changeling Queen, not in a context like this. One of the many things she had been briefed upon her return was the fate of the Changelings. Celestia had given her a detailed report of how relations had almost ceased overnight and devolved into varying attacks on outlying villages. Couple that with what the queen had done at her niece’s wedding, and she couldn’t fathom what she had just heard. From all accounts, her fillyhood friend was now an enemy of the state, one who had physically attacked her sister. She wasn’t sure she could forgive her after all that was said and done; yet still there was something in her that made her sad to think about her former friend. “No.” Celestia frowned slightly at that. She started to say, “But—” “No, Sister, just leave it at that…” “Luna… let me at least explain my reasoning.” Luna wanted to consider this; she did want to know what her sister was thinking. But something in deep inside of her still hurt when the subject was brought up. She was frustrated, hurt, and slightly mortified when she thought of how Chrysalis had carelessly attacked her sister, saying it was for her people. “Look, Luna, I know I have said some pretty bad things about her since, but that is one of the reasons I want you to consider this.” Luna looked sceptical, but decided against saying anything while Celestia continued, “Back, way back before your banishment, you two were good friends. I know what you feel like right now; remember how while you had Chrysalis, my best friend was Discord? “Well, even after what he did and we were forced to turn him into stone, part of me still hoped there was part of the sweet and playful side of him left. It hurt, losing him. It still hurts now; I know we have him back, but it hasn’t been the same. In a way, I envy Fluttershy.” Celestia looked away, a wistful look to her. “But that is what I want. I want to be able to return to how things were. Something changed after you left; Chrysalis never did anything to harm Equestria or it citizens before. She even aided us on occasion.” She placed a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “And Luna, I think that was down to you.” Not knowing what to think, Luna sat there in silence, mulling over everything. It wasn’t until a few moments had passed before she opened up again. “And you think that I should make friends with her again, after everything she has done? Sister, no. She threw you across a room for Mother’s sake and tried to enslave our ponies.” Luna stood, sparing a glance, before making for the door. “Luna, please. Don’t you see? Chrysalis listened to you then, she might still now. You can bring an end to the conflict without violence, and it could even help you!” A scowl was etching itself deeper into Luna’s features. She opened the door to her room and stuck her hoof at the corridor outside. “Out.” “Luna, I—” “OUT!” Not wishing to cause her sister any more discomfort, and knowing this battle was lost, Celestia left the room, her hooves heavy and neck bent low. A Brighter StarCelestia scraped her hooves against the floor all the way to her chambers, where Twilight was curled in bed, reading an overly large book. The purple mare looked up from her book as marefriend walked in. “What's wrong?” she asked, noticing how the solar alicorn held her head low. Celestia met her lover's gaze and sighed. “It's Luna…” “What's with Luna?” Twilight placed a marker in the book and set it on her bedside table. “Is she not feeling well? Did she catch that cold that's been going around? I warned her to not get so close to that one mare.” Celestia lifted the covers and crawled into bed alongside Twilight. “She's not sick, she's just… lonely.” “How? I mean, she has plenty of friends, doesn't she?” Twilight shifted into a sitting position and placed her hooves on Celestia's back, starting to gently knead into her. “Well, that's sort of the problem.” Turning her head around, she noted the puzzled expression Twilight held, and Celestia decided to further elaborate. “She’s feeling distraught that all of her friends are also my friends.” Twilight's quizzical look only grew more so. “Luna wants to make friends with a pony that isn't already my friend.” Twilight took a moment to analyze the sentence before it finally dawned on her. “Ooh. She wants a friend that isn't already a friend of a friend.” Twilight moved her hooves further down her marefriend’s back, beginning work on her wing muscles. “Wow, you are tense. What happened in there to bring this on?” Celestia decided to keep some of the truth to herself; it was Luna’s past to share, not hers. “I suggested she make friends with Queen Chrysalis.” Twilight faltered, slipping with her grip and stabbing her hoof into Celestia's spine, prompting a short cry of pain. “Sorry!” Twilight’s face went red. “That was an accident. But did you say ‘Queen Chrysalis’?” She returned to her ministrations. “Yes, I did.” Twilight slipped again, but she was caught in a golden glow of magic, before being moved back into a sitting position. “Twilight, let me explain. Luna wants a friend that she can call her own; Chrysalis was the first name that came to mind on the small list of individuals I can say are not my friend. “And yes, I know it sounds bad, but it got me thinking. Making a friend of the Changeling Queen could bring an end to these open hostilities, while also helping Luna.” Twilight mulled the information over. She could see that the idea had merit, but it wouldn’t be an easy task, even if it got off the ground. “I’m guessing from the tension I felt that Luna said no?” “Correct as always, Twilight. I had hoped with their shared past that she would at least consider it.” “What do you mean ‘shared past’?” Realising she had divulged too much, Celestia was quick to stem that line of questioning. “I’ve already said more than I should. Luna’s past is hers to share, and I won’t betray her privacy. Sorry, my little light.” Twilight huffed. She hated being starved of information, but she couldn’t argue against the logic. With nothing else to say, Twilight moved again and went back to giving Celestia a massage. Ten minutes later, Celestia was almost asleep, the hooves of her marefriend more powerful than the strongest sleeping powder. “I’ll do it.” Twilight spoke up. Celestia jumped, both at the suddenness of the declaration, and at the words themselves. “Twilight, no, I couldn’t ask that of you!” “You don’t have to. I know this won’t solve Luna’s problem, but I am the ‘Princess of Friendship’. If there is a chance that we can resolve the Changeling issue with friendship, I would be remiss if I didn’t try.” “But what about your brother’s wedding, what she did to Shining and Cadence?” Twilight let out a deep sigh. “In all honesty, that is something I’ve thought about on many occasions.” Celestia tilted her head, looking back over her withers. “I’ve deconstructed that day over and over, looking at possible motivations and outcomes. From what Chrysalis said, the whole affair seems to be based upon the idea of securing a food source for her subjects. “In the end, she was looking after her subjects in the way she saw best. The last few years of ruling have taught me to appreciate that fact, making me ask myself what I would do to protect our ponies. In that light, I can’t hold it against her. I also can’t hate those who were just following orders. “And the fear that spreads from the fact they see us as prey? That is the way of nature, something they can’t control, and it would be unfair of me to hold that against them, either.” She turned her head to look Celestia in the eyes. “And yes, I can certainly hold a grudge for the fact they imprisoned me and ruined my brother's wedding, but what kind of ruler would I be if I let personal feelings get in the way of peace?” Blinking for a moment, Celestia darted in and stole a kiss. “My, my, you have grown up, haven’t you?” Twilight pulled back, flustered, her muzzle turning a darker shade of purple. She loved seeing Twilight flustered. “But I can’t deny anything you just said, and I may have had similar thoughts myself.” She sighed deeply. “You are right. Not that you need it, but you have my blessing to go.” Twilight smiled, before dropping bodily down on to Celestia’s back. “But enough of this. I’m only in Canterlot for the weekend, and I haven’t had my fill of ‘Sunshine hugs’.” She wrapped her forelegs around Celestia’s barrel. Happy to oblige, Celestia rolled the pair of them over, so that she played the role of little spoon. Pulling the covers up, Celestia began to funnel the power of the sun through her magic leylines. Twilight squeed behind her head as Celestia’s body literally started to glow, and she radiated heat like a hot water bottle. Twilight predictably succumbed to sleep within minutes, but Celestia was far from it. An idea had formed again. Twilight was being selfless as always, but maybe she herself could be selfish. Maybe there was a way to use this to her advantage. In the morning, Luna wouldn’t know what hit her. Logical OutcomeLuna awoke the following morning, but still felt unrested. The words of her sister had plagued her mind all night, and it left her in a bit of a mood. Reaching the doors to the private dining room, she took a breath, preparing for what would undoubtable be round two; Celestia never let things go after one round unless she had won. Exhaling, Luna pushed the doors open and stepped on through, ears already folded back. “Morning, Lulu.” There it was, the verbal tirade she had … ‘Wait, what?’ Luna blinked, her gears jammed for a second. “I said, ‘Morning Lulu’.” Celestia smiled at her sister from the opposite side on the dining table. Recovering her wits, Luna narrowed her eyes and joined her sister at the table, “Morning to you as well, Sister.” She sat down and started levitating breakfast items onto her plate. She avoided taking the pancakes; Celestia was rather possessive of those, and Luna liked having functioning hooves. They sat in silence, each content to tuck into their food. But Luna couldn’t enjoy hers; something tasted wrong about the whole scene, and it seemed to infect her psyche. Something was up, and it was confirmed when she would glance over to her sister; every time, she was wearing a little smile that looked too innocent. Luna was tired of playing. “What’s going on?” Celestia’s lack of a reaction was the last piece in the puzzle. She finished her bite before turning to her sister. “What ever do you mean, Lulu?” “Number one: you are calling me Lulu, not Luna – that means you are happy, which is a contrast to last night. Number two: speaking of last night, you haven’t even mentioned the topic, let alone tried to get me to change my mind. So I’ll ask again, what is going on?” Celestia’s smile grew. “Of course I’m happy, I have you.” Luna’s face dropped into a light scowl. “And as for my plan? Don’t worry, I won’t be asking you to do that ever again.” Luna released a breath, still ill at ease, but less worried. She lifted her coffee to her lips, and took a large swig. “I don’t need to ask anymore; Twilight volunteered to go instead.” Luna’s coffee spray took out a passing maid. “SHE WHAT?! Where is she? I must stop this madness before it starts!” “She left to get ready just after watching me raise the sun. And before you say anything, she volunteered. I never even asked her.” “But this is a fool’s errand! Not to mention she doesn’t know the way or just how dangerous approaching a Hive can be.” Celestia started to cry. “I know it’s dangerous. I tried to convince her against it, but she was adamant.” Luna moved to her sister’s side, wrapping her up in a hug. “I know Twilight is a capable mare, but for the first time in over a thousand years, I have another with whom I share my heart, and she is throwing herself in the path of danger again.” Luna looked down at Celestia; she looked so small, and fear stained her eyes. “If only there was someone who could go with her, and keep her safe.” Luna’s heart was melting at the sight, and she was left with but one choice. “I will accompany her.” “Truly?” Celestia looked up with still moist eyes, her voice laden with hope. “Truly.” The white mare was instantly back up in her sitting position. All traces of any fear, or the tears, had vanished. She hugged her sister with a wing, and turned to face her, that annoying smile on her muzzle. “Thank you, Luna, I knew I could count on you.” The sudden change shocked Luna until she ran through the whole conversation in her head. ‘Damn it, played again.’ ~~Meanwhile, at the Sparkle residence~~ “You what?!” Twilight Velvet and Night Light both stood, gawping at their youngest child. Twilight let out a breath. “I volunteered to go on a diplomatic mission to Queen Chrysalis.” Her parents started to launch into a series of shouted ‘what’s and ‘why’s, so she sat on her haunches and waited for them to burn themselves out of questions. After about three minutes, the pair joined their daughter on the floor. Their breathing was heavy, and their manes had started to spike up. Twilight gave them another thirty seconds before she summoned a scroll and handed it to them. Together they read out the title: “Twenty Five Reasons Twilight Should Go On This Mission.” They stared at each other for a moment, before reading the rest of the scroll. The reading was accompanied by various ‘umm’s, ‘erm’s, and ‘aha’s. Finally finished, they put the scroll down, and crossed the distance to their daughter. Twilight found herself in the middle of a hug. “You’ve done it again, Twilight. We can’t argue with anything you put on that list. But we still don’t want you putting yourself in harm’s way.” Her mother squeezed her as she finished. “Your mother is right, Twilight. This idea seems really dangerous. Can’t you take a few guards with you?” Twilight went to answer, but was interrupted by a flash of blue light. “That will be entirely unnecessary, for I shall accompanying her.” Luna strode in from the adjacent room. “Luna?!” Twilight snapped her head around. “But I thought–” “Wrong – in this case, I am afraid. Once my sister told me of your plan, I knew that I should come with.” Twilight sat with her mouth gawping like a fish. Twilight Velvet and Night Light both stood and bowed to Princess Luna. “Thank you, Princess. You have no idea how much that comforts us to hear. We trust Twily implicitly, but as parents, it is our job to worry.” Night Light gave Luna a grateful smile. “I thank thee for your gratitude, but I fear that with this journey, Twilight is helping me more than I her.” Luna turned to Twilight, who had seemingly zoned out. “Twilight?” She poked her in the shoulder, hard enough to make her wobble. Twilight blinked and looked up at Luna. “I have had packs put together back at the castle. Is there anything further you need to do here?” Twilight moved and hugged her parents. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.” Her parents gave their sentiments, and Twilight moved back to Luna. “That’s everything.” “Good. Knowing you are still diurnal, we should make use of the remaining hours of daylight.” She waved to Twilight’s parents. “Goodbye, fair citizens.” And with another flash of light, they were gone. Journey's StartTwilight was unceremoniously dumped on the ground, and she quickly jumped to her hooves once she realised that it was wet. Feeling grass beneath her hooves, she took the time to look around. Luna had deposited them both in a forest clearing, the sounds of nature reaching her ears. Looking further she easily spotted Mt Canterhorn, the city of Canterlot perched on the side, which allowed her to work out they had teleported south, at least two hours journey as the pegasi flies. Her mental maths done, she finally looked over at Luna. She was rummaging through one of the two sets of saddlebags that had been teleported to her, humming to herself. Twilight walked over, and levitated the other set up and onto her back, securing the straps around her barrel. “Ah ha, the map had been found.” Luna explained, holding the folded paper in the air like she had just won a glorious battle. Stifling a giggle, Twilight joined her as she smoothed the map open on a large flat boulder, and the blue alicorn traced lines with her hoof. “I do believe,” she waved a foreleg roughly south by southeast, “that we need to go that way.” Within seconds, Luna had her bags attached and she had taken flight, hovering in mid air waiting for the newer princess. “Come now young Twilight, we have many days of flight ahead of us, and as they say, ‘daylight is burning’.” A mighty flap threw her higher into the air, Twilight having to take a running leap just to catch up with her. They flew just above the clouds, the higher altitudes providing both better thermal currents, and reduced air resistance. Twilight had to concede that the view was stunning, having never been up this high for any real duration of time. She was broken from her admiration as the lunar princess cleared her throat. “Twilight, tell me, how much do you know about the Changelings?” Humming in thought, the smaller alicorn tried to collect her thoughts and memories “To be honest, not much,” her answer made Luna frown. “Up until the ‘wedding’, there hadn’t been a confirmed sighting for almost five hundred years, and they had all but been relegated to an urban legend.” Luna’s frown had turned into a scowl. “So what do you actually know?” Recoiling slightly from the look she had been given, Twilight quickly gave a run down. “We know they are Equine in appearance, and covered in black chitin. They have the ability to shape-shift, as well as use magic and fly. Their whole society seems based on a sort of hive mind, at the top of which sits their queen, Chrysalis. We know they need to feed on love, but we don’t know why, whether as a primary food source, or another part of their natural digestion.” Her answer had seemed to appease her elder, but, Luna’s lips were still far from looking happy. “While you have some good facts, and some better theories, there is still far more you do not know, and it concerns me. Did my sister never tell you about them?” Sheepishly, Twilight looked back. “No…” Thud - hoof met face. “Of course she didn’t, stupid nag.” A sharp intake of breath from her companion derailed any more verbal barbs, and Luna slowed down so that she was flying level with her. “Forgive me, I did not mean to speak ill of your…” She chewed on the word for a second, “marefriend. But for someone so wise, she often forgets more than she remembers, or otherwise chooses to forget.” “I don’t quite understand.” The purple mare’s face mirrored her words, confusion written across it. “She should know as much about changelings as I do, I told her most of what I learnt firsthoof. Chances are she was too busy pulling pranks with Discord to really pay attention back then.” “What?!” “Oh right; please don’t worry, nothing happened between them, I assure you,” Luna tittered slightly, “Though not for lack of him trying.” “No, not that.” It was Luna’s turn to be confused. “Then what?” Twilight stuck her foreleg out towards her accusingly. “You said you learnt it all first hoof. That means you met them; When? How? And more - why haven’t you said anything about them since if you now so much?” Luna blinked rapidly, her eyes going distant, and her flight dipped before she caught herself. “I guess Tia isn’t the only one capable of forgetting things.” “Wait, that isn’t…” Luna cut Twilight off with a swipe of a wing in front of her. “We will speak more on this at another time. As it is, I have been awake for almost twenty four hours in order to adjust my schedule, and I am beginning to feel tired. Help me find a spot to set up came for the night.” Twilight let out a grunt, and her tone annoyed. “Fine. But we’re not finished with this.” The pair split up, circling the local area until Twilight heard Luna call for her. “Twilight,” she called. “Come hither, I have found what looks to be an adequate spot.” A quick flap later, Twilight was gliding towards a low rise, the light of Luna’s horn guiding her down. On touch down, she spotted what Luna had found - a small cave with boulders half obscuring the entrance. Slightly impressed, Twilight cantered over, admitting to herself that she was also tired, and wished to rest her wings. Slipping into the cave behind Luna, Twilight cast a series of protection and detection spells on the entrance, and dropped her saddlebags on the floor, soon joining them as a pile of floppy limbs. Hearing a snort, she cast her gaze towards Luna. “Comfy?” The blue mare asked. A cheeky smile across her face, Twilight nodded her head. “I’ll deal with food, if you can find it in you to assemble the sleeping sacks.” “You mean sleeping bags?” Twilight asked in response to Luna’s odd terminology. “I never understood why they are called bags.” Luna retorted absentmindedly as she rummaged through her bags for some food. The younger mare rolled her eyes, rather than argue the point any further, and slowly rose to her hooves. “Either way, yes, I’ll deal with them, if you deal with food. Without any further conversation, they went about their tasks. By the time Twilight had set out the sleeping bags, and secured an awning above to catch any water, she could already smell something that made her nose happy. “Whatever that is, it smells great. I didn’t know you could cook so well, Luna.” A smirk graced Luna’s face. “I’ll take that as a compliment. You forget that I used to be known as Equestria’s Warrior Princess, so I’ve spent a lot of time using field kitchens.” She levitated a bowl out towards her. Taking a bite of the offered food, Twilight hummed in delight, as she levitated the bowl in front of herself, and proceeded to wolf it down, much to Luna’s amusement. Soon suffering from a food-coma, it fell to the more senior princess to carry her to bed, slipping her into one of the sleeping bags. Giving her future sister-in-law one last wistful gaze, Luna shuffled herself in her own bag, and stared at the ceiling of the cave, her mind mulling over the journey’s objective and what she hoped to gain personally. I wonder if she’d even take me back?
Dimming StarsThe night air was crisp as Celestia looked upon the weak light of the moon. She would have normally smiled when she looked around, but something was missing. The lights of the stars were dim, and the moon’s muted glow looked as if it was ready to go out like a candle. She knew that her sister’s mood was a direct influence on the night sky and its beauty. Spreading her wings, Celestia took a short flight to Luna’s balcony and walked through the still open door. After a brief scan of the room, she found it empty. She was about to leave and search elsewhere when the covers of Luna’s bed caught her eye. Walking up next to the bed and removing the dark covers with her magic, she found Luna lying with her back towards her, her movements showing signs of distress. Celestia leaned her head closer in an attempt to lure her sister’s attention, but Luna shifted her position and buried her head in her pillow. “Luna, what’s bothering you?” “Nothing that requires worrying, dear sister,” Luna said through her pillow. “Luna.” Celestia walked to the other side of the bed, and Luna rolled over to again avoid her sister. “Luna, the stars are dimming; something is wrong.” “You could say it is fatigue from a lack of sleep. And it would not be hard to point the hoof at the reason for that; it seems to be standing at my bedside.” Celestia huffed in frustration before walking around to the other side. “Luna, I’ve seen you go a week without sleep and still have your stars bright enough to blind.” “If you enjoy staring at stars so much, go back to your room and stare at your marefriend’s flank; she has six of them.” Luna rolled over again, still refusing to look at her sister. Celestia, red in the face, couldn’t form a coherent sentence, but she couldn’t let Luna get away with the jab about Twilight. Lighting her horn, she lifted the bed, tilting the head up to the ceiling and the foot to the floor. Luna squeaked as gravity took hold and she slid down. With a small ‘oompf,’ she fell in a heap, bed-sheets and all, at her sister’s hooves. Luna managed to untangle her head and, lifting it, gave Celestia a glare that could level mountains. Celestia took it, and sat down to be face to face. “Luna—we both know that our charges reflect our innermost feelings. Yours have been getting dimmer. Please, stop keeping things bottled up. Luna, what is wrong?” Luna was silent for a short while; instead of speaking, she looked out through her balcony doors at the nightscape she had painted. The stars were indeed dull. Knowing that she had no way out, she turned back to her sister. “Truthfully, Tia, I must confess that I have been feeling lonely as of late.” Celestia’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? You have friends, you have—” Luna silenced her sister, her magic holding her mouth closed. “I know what you are going to say. First, you would start off with the Element Bearers. Yes, those six mares are, and will always be, my friends; I owe them that much for what they did for me. I have our niece, Cadenza, and her husband. One could go so far as to say I am friends with every denizen of Ponyville, after the Tantabus escapade.” Luna looked away, not bearing to look her sister in the eyes. “But they are your friends, Sister. I met them through you, and I know that means nothing to them, and it shouldn’t to me, but it does—it leaves a gnawing feeling inside.” She looked back up. “With my thousand-year absence, I have yet to make a friend that wasn’t already yours. I know it may be selfish, but I want a friend that I can call truly mine, and I fear it may take another half century before such an event can come about.” She finally released her sister’s mouth, expecting to be admonished for her selfishness. Instead, Celestia just sat there, half-stunned, half-worried. The verbal tirade never came; Luna found herself engulfed in two white wings and a neck pressed against her own. Feeling something splatter on her back, Luna pulled away to find her sister crying slightly. “Oh, Luna,” said Celestia. “I can see why you didn’t want to tell me, but I still wish you had.” She drew them both back together. “I can’t believe I never considered this would happen. What kind of sister am I?” Luna pushed her back until they were eye to eye. “You are the best sister a mare could ask for, and far more than I deserve.” Celestia sniffled loudly, wiping her eyes slightly. “I still don’t know how I could overlook this. There must be somepony.” “Neigh, sister. I have spent the last few nights pondering this, and I have come up blank.” Luna shuffled around so that she was now resting side by side with Celestia, merely enjoying her warmth. But Celestia had already zoned out. I know there must be somepony. I mean, it’s not as if one of her friends from before her banishment are … still… around. Huh. An idea was forming. An idea so crazy, it just might provide the solution for her sister’s unhappiness, as well as a threat to national security. Turning to Luna, she composed her expression into one of innocence. “Luna?” “Yes, Sister?” Luna asked, partly concerned for whatever her sister was planning. “What about your old friend, Chrysalis?” Luna went slack-jawed, her eyes blinking rapidly. After all this time, Luna never once thought Celestia would willingly bring up the Changeling Queen, not in a context like this. One of the many things she had been briefed upon her return was the fate of the Changelings. Celestia had given her a detailed report of how relations had almost ceased overnight and devolved into varying attacks on outlying villages. Couple that with what the queen had done at her niece’s wedding, and she couldn’t fathom what she had just heard. From all accounts, her fillyhood friend was now an enemy of the state, one who had physically attacked her sister. She wasn’t sure she could forgive her after all that was said and done; yet still there was something in her that made her sad to think about her former friend. “No.” Celestia frowned slightly at that. She started to say, “But—” “No, Sister, just leave it at that…” “Luna… let me at least explain my reasoning.” Luna wanted to consider this; she did want to know what her sister was thinking. But something in deep inside of her still hurt when the subject was brought up. She was frustrated, hurt, and slightly mortified when she thought of how Chrysalis had carelessly attacked her sister, saying it was for her people. “Look, Luna, I know I have said some pretty bad things about her since, but that is one of the reasons I want you to consider this.” Luna looked sceptical, but decided against saying anything while Celestia continued, “Back, way back before your banishment, you two were good friends. I know what you feel like right now; remember how while you had Chrysalis, my best friend was Discord? “Well, even after what he did and we were forced to turn him into stone, part of me still hoped there was part of the sweet and playful side of him left. It hurt, losing him. It still hurts now; I know we have him back, but it hasn’t been the same. In a way, I envy Fluttershy.” Celestia looked away, a wistful look to her. “But that is what I want. I want to be able to return to how things were. Something changed after you left; Chrysalis never did anything to harm Equestria or it citizens before. She even aided us on occasion.” She placed a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “And Luna, I think that was down to you.” Not knowing what to think, Luna sat there in silence, mulling over everything. It wasn’t until a few moments had passed before she opened up again. “And you think that I should make friends with her again, after everything she has done? Sister, no. She threw you across a room for Mother’s sake and tried to enslave our ponies.” Luna stood, sparing a glance, before making for the door. “Luna, please. Don’t you see? Chrysalis listened to you then, she might still now. You can bring an end to the conflict without violence, and it could even help you!” A scowl was etching itself deeper into Luna’s features. She opened the door to her room and stuck her hoof at the corridor outside. “Out.” “Luna, I—” “OUT!” Not wishing to cause her sister any more discomfort, and knowing this battle was lost, Celestia left the room, her hooves heavy and neck bent low.
A Brighter StarCelestia scraped her hooves against the floor all the way to her chambers, where Twilight was curled in bed, reading an overly large book. The purple mare looked up from her book as marefriend walked in. “What's wrong?” she asked, noticing how the solar alicorn held her head low. Celestia met her lover's gaze and sighed. “It's Luna…” “What's with Luna?” Twilight placed a marker in the book and set it on her bedside table. “Is she not feeling well? Did she catch that cold that's been going around? I warned her to not get so close to that one mare.” Celestia lifted the covers and crawled into bed alongside Twilight. “She's not sick, she's just… lonely.” “How? I mean, she has plenty of friends, doesn't she?” Twilight shifted into a sitting position and placed her hooves on Celestia's back, starting to gently knead into her. “Well, that's sort of the problem.” Turning her head around, she noted the puzzled expression Twilight held, and Celestia decided to further elaborate. “She’s feeling distraught that all of her friends are also my friends.” Twilight's quizzical look only grew more so. “Luna wants to make friends with a pony that isn't already my friend.” Twilight took a moment to analyze the sentence before it finally dawned on her. “Ooh. She wants a friend that isn't already a friend of a friend.” Twilight moved her hooves further down her marefriend’s back, beginning work on her wing muscles. “Wow, you are tense. What happened in there to bring this on?” Celestia decided to keep some of the truth to herself; it was Luna’s past to share, not hers. “I suggested she make friends with Queen Chrysalis.” Twilight faltered, slipping with her grip and stabbing her hoof into Celestia's spine, prompting a short cry of pain. “Sorry!” Twilight’s face went red. “That was an accident. But did you say ‘Queen Chrysalis’?” She returned to her ministrations. “Yes, I did.” Twilight slipped again, but she was caught in a golden glow of magic, before being moved back into a sitting position. “Twilight, let me explain. Luna wants a friend that she can call her own; Chrysalis was the first name that came to mind on the small list of individuals I can say are not my friend. “And yes, I know it sounds bad, but it got me thinking. Making a friend of the Changeling Queen could bring an end to these open hostilities, while also helping Luna.” Twilight mulled the information over. She could see that the idea had merit, but it wouldn’t be an easy task, even if it got off the ground. “I’m guessing from the tension I felt that Luna said no?” “Correct as always, Twilight. I had hoped with their shared past that she would at least consider it.” “What do you mean ‘shared past’?” Realising she had divulged too much, Celestia was quick to stem that line of questioning. “I’ve already said more than I should. Luna’s past is hers to share, and I won’t betray her privacy. Sorry, my little light.” Twilight huffed. She hated being starved of information, but she couldn’t argue against the logic. With nothing else to say, Twilight moved again and went back to giving Celestia a massage. Ten minutes later, Celestia was almost asleep, the hooves of her marefriend more powerful than the strongest sleeping powder. “I’ll do it.” Twilight spoke up. Celestia jumped, both at the suddenness of the declaration, and at the words themselves. “Twilight, no, I couldn’t ask that of you!” “You don’t have to. I know this won’t solve Luna’s problem, but I am the ‘Princess of Friendship’. If there is a chance that we can resolve the Changeling issue with friendship, I would be remiss if I didn’t try.” “But what about your brother’s wedding, what she did to Shining and Cadence?” Twilight let out a deep sigh. “In all honesty, that is something I’ve thought about on many occasions.” Celestia tilted her head, looking back over her withers. “I’ve deconstructed that day over and over, looking at possible motivations and outcomes. From what Chrysalis said, the whole affair seems to be based upon the idea of securing a food source for her subjects. “In the end, she was looking after her subjects in the way she saw best. The last few years of ruling have taught me to appreciate that fact, making me ask myself what I would do to protect our ponies. In that light, I can’t hold it against her. I also can’t hate those who were just following orders. “And the fear that spreads from the fact they see us as prey? That is the way of nature, something they can’t control, and it would be unfair of me to hold that against them, either.” She turned her head to look Celestia in the eyes. “And yes, I can certainly hold a grudge for the fact they imprisoned me and ruined my brother's wedding, but what kind of ruler would I be if I let personal feelings get in the way of peace?” Blinking for a moment, Celestia darted in and stole a kiss. “My, my, you have grown up, haven’t you?” Twilight pulled back, flustered, her muzzle turning a darker shade of purple. She loved seeing Twilight flustered. “But I can’t deny anything you just said, and I may have had similar thoughts myself.” She sighed deeply. “You are right. Not that you need it, but you have my blessing to go.” Twilight smiled, before dropping bodily down on to Celestia’s back. “But enough of this. I’m only in Canterlot for the weekend, and I haven’t had my fill of ‘Sunshine hugs’.” She wrapped her forelegs around Celestia’s barrel. Happy to oblige, Celestia rolled the pair of them over, so that she played the role of little spoon. Pulling the covers up, Celestia began to funnel the power of the sun through her magic leylines. Twilight squeed behind her head as Celestia’s body literally started to glow, and she radiated heat like a hot water bottle. Twilight predictably succumbed to sleep within minutes, but Celestia was far from it. An idea had formed again. Twilight was being selfless as always, but maybe she herself could be selfish. Maybe there was a way to use this to her advantage. In the morning, Luna wouldn’t know what hit her.
Logical OutcomeLuna awoke the following morning, but still felt unrested. The words of her sister had plagued her mind all night, and it left her in a bit of a mood. Reaching the doors to the private dining room, she took a breath, preparing for what would undoubtable be round two; Celestia never let things go after one round unless she had won. Exhaling, Luna pushed the doors open and stepped on through, ears already folded back. “Morning, Lulu.” There it was, the verbal tirade she had … ‘Wait, what?’ Luna blinked, her gears jammed for a second. “I said, ‘Morning Lulu’.” Celestia smiled at her sister from the opposite side on the dining table. Recovering her wits, Luna narrowed her eyes and joined her sister at the table, “Morning to you as well, Sister.” She sat down and started levitating breakfast items onto her plate. She avoided taking the pancakes; Celestia was rather possessive of those, and Luna liked having functioning hooves. They sat in silence, each content to tuck into their food. But Luna couldn’t enjoy hers; something tasted wrong about the whole scene, and it seemed to infect her psyche. Something was up, and it was confirmed when she would glance over to her sister; every time, she was wearing a little smile that looked too innocent. Luna was tired of playing. “What’s going on?” Celestia’s lack of a reaction was the last piece in the puzzle. She finished her bite before turning to her sister. “What ever do you mean, Lulu?” “Number one: you are calling me Lulu, not Luna – that means you are happy, which is a contrast to last night. Number two: speaking of last night, you haven’t even mentioned the topic, let alone tried to get me to change my mind. So I’ll ask again, what is going on?” Celestia’s smile grew. “Of course I’m happy, I have you.” Luna’s face dropped into a light scowl. “And as for my plan? Don’t worry, I won’t be asking you to do that ever again.” Luna released a breath, still ill at ease, but less worried. She lifted her coffee to her lips, and took a large swig. “I don’t need to ask anymore; Twilight volunteered to go instead.” Luna’s coffee spray took out a passing maid. “SHE WHAT?! Where is she? I must stop this madness before it starts!” “She left to get ready just after watching me raise the sun. And before you say anything, she volunteered. I never even asked her.” “But this is a fool’s errand! Not to mention she doesn’t know the way or just how dangerous approaching a Hive can be.” Celestia started to cry. “I know it’s dangerous. I tried to convince her against it, but she was adamant.” Luna moved to her sister’s side, wrapping her up in a hug. “I know Twilight is a capable mare, but for the first time in over a thousand years, I have another with whom I share my heart, and she is throwing herself in the path of danger again.” Luna looked down at Celestia; she looked so small, and fear stained her eyes. “If only there was someone who could go with her, and keep her safe.” Luna’s heart was melting at the sight, and she was left with but one choice. “I will accompany her.” “Truly?” Celestia looked up with still moist eyes, her voice laden with hope. “Truly.” The white mare was instantly back up in her sitting position. All traces of any fear, or the tears, had vanished. She hugged her sister with a wing, and turned to face her, that annoying smile on her muzzle. “Thank you, Luna, I knew I could count on you.” The sudden change shocked Luna until she ran through the whole conversation in her head. ‘Damn it, played again.’ ~~Meanwhile, at the Sparkle residence~~ “You what?!” Twilight Velvet and Night Light both stood, gawping at their youngest child. Twilight let out a breath. “I volunteered to go on a diplomatic mission to Queen Chrysalis.” Her parents started to launch into a series of shouted ‘what’s and ‘why’s, so she sat on her haunches and waited for them to burn themselves out of questions. After about three minutes, the pair joined their daughter on the floor. Their breathing was heavy, and their manes had started to spike up. Twilight gave them another thirty seconds before she summoned a scroll and handed it to them. Together they read out the title: “Twenty Five Reasons Twilight Should Go On This Mission.” They stared at each other for a moment, before reading the rest of the scroll. The reading was accompanied by various ‘umm’s, ‘erm’s, and ‘aha’s. Finally finished, they put the scroll down, and crossed the distance to their daughter. Twilight found herself in the middle of a hug. “You’ve done it again, Twilight. We can’t argue with anything you put on that list. But we still don’t want you putting yourself in harm’s way.” Her mother squeezed her as she finished. “Your mother is right, Twilight. This idea seems really dangerous. Can’t you take a few guards with you?” Twilight went to answer, but was interrupted by a flash of blue light. “That will be entirely unnecessary, for I shall accompanying her.” Luna strode in from the adjacent room. “Luna?!” Twilight snapped her head around. “But I thought–” “Wrong – in this case, I am afraid. Once my sister told me of your plan, I knew that I should come with.” Twilight sat with her mouth gawping like a fish. Twilight Velvet and Night Light both stood and bowed to Princess Luna. “Thank you, Princess. You have no idea how much that comforts us to hear. We trust Twily implicitly, but as parents, it is our job to worry.” Night Light gave Luna a grateful smile. “I thank thee for your gratitude, but I fear that with this journey, Twilight is helping me more than I her.” Luna turned to Twilight, who had seemingly zoned out. “Twilight?” She poked her in the shoulder, hard enough to make her wobble. Twilight blinked and looked up at Luna. “I have had packs put together back at the castle. Is there anything further you need to do here?” Twilight moved and hugged her parents. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.” Her parents gave their sentiments, and Twilight moved back to Luna. “That’s everything.” “Good. Knowing you are still diurnal, we should make use of the remaining hours of daylight.” She waved to Twilight’s parents. “Goodbye, fair citizens.” And with another flash of light, they were gone.
Journey's StartTwilight was unceremoniously dumped on the ground, and she quickly jumped to her hooves once she realised that it was wet. Feeling grass beneath her hooves, she took the time to look around. Luna had deposited them both in a forest clearing, the sounds of nature reaching her ears. Looking further she easily spotted Mt Canterhorn, the city of Canterlot perched on the side, which allowed her to work out they had teleported south, at least two hours journey as the pegasi flies. Her mental maths done, she finally looked over at Luna. She was rummaging through one of the two sets of saddlebags that had been teleported to her, humming to herself. Twilight walked over, and levitated the other set up and onto her back, securing the straps around her barrel. “Ah ha, the map had been found.” Luna explained, holding the folded paper in the air like she had just won a glorious battle. Stifling a giggle, Twilight joined her as she smoothed the map open on a large flat boulder, and the blue alicorn traced lines with her hoof. “I do believe,” she waved a foreleg roughly south by southeast, “that we need to go that way.” Within seconds, Luna had her bags attached and she had taken flight, hovering in mid air waiting for the newer princess. “Come now young Twilight, we have many days of flight ahead of us, and as they say, ‘daylight is burning’.” A mighty flap threw her higher into the air, Twilight having to take a running leap just to catch up with her. They flew just above the clouds, the higher altitudes providing both better thermal currents, and reduced air resistance. Twilight had to concede that the view was stunning, having never been up this high for any real duration of time. She was broken from her admiration as the lunar princess cleared her throat. “Twilight, tell me, how much do you know about the Changelings?” Humming in thought, the smaller alicorn tried to collect her thoughts and memories “To be honest, not much,” her answer made Luna frown. “Up until the ‘wedding’, there hadn’t been a confirmed sighting for almost five hundred years, and they had all but been relegated to an urban legend.” Luna’s frown had turned into a scowl. “So what do you actually know?” Recoiling slightly from the look she had been given, Twilight quickly gave a run down. “We know they are Equine in appearance, and covered in black chitin. They have the ability to shape-shift, as well as use magic and fly. Their whole society seems based on a sort of hive mind, at the top of which sits their queen, Chrysalis. We know they need to feed on love, but we don’t know why, whether as a primary food source, or another part of their natural digestion.” Her answer had seemed to appease her elder, but, Luna’s lips were still far from looking happy. “While you have some good facts, and some better theories, there is still far more you do not know, and it concerns me. Did my sister never tell you about them?” Sheepishly, Twilight looked back. “No…” Thud - hoof met face. “Of course she didn’t, stupid nag.” A sharp intake of breath from her companion derailed any more verbal barbs, and Luna slowed down so that she was flying level with her. “Forgive me, I did not mean to speak ill of your…” She chewed on the word for a second, “marefriend. But for someone so wise, she often forgets more than she remembers, or otherwise chooses to forget.” “I don’t quite understand.” The purple mare’s face mirrored her words, confusion written across it. “She should know as much about changelings as I do, I told her most of what I learnt firsthoof. Chances are she was too busy pulling pranks with Discord to really pay attention back then.” “What?!” “Oh right; please don’t worry, nothing happened between them, I assure you,” Luna tittered slightly, “Though not for lack of him trying.” “No, not that.” It was Luna’s turn to be confused. “Then what?” Twilight stuck her foreleg out towards her accusingly. “You said you learnt it all first hoof. That means you met them; When? How? And more - why haven’t you said anything about them since if you now so much?” Luna blinked rapidly, her eyes going distant, and her flight dipped before she caught herself. “I guess Tia isn’t the only one capable of forgetting things.” “Wait, that isn’t…” Luna cut Twilight off with a swipe of a wing in front of her. “We will speak more on this at another time. As it is, I have been awake for almost twenty four hours in order to adjust my schedule, and I am beginning to feel tired. Help me find a spot to set up came for the night.” Twilight let out a grunt, and her tone annoyed. “Fine. But we’re not finished with this.” The pair split up, circling the local area until Twilight heard Luna call for her. “Twilight,” she called. “Come hither, I have found what looks to be an adequate spot.” A quick flap later, Twilight was gliding towards a low rise, the light of Luna’s horn guiding her down. On touch down, she spotted what Luna had found - a small cave with boulders half obscuring the entrance. Slightly impressed, Twilight cantered over, admitting to herself that she was also tired, and wished to rest her wings. Slipping into the cave behind Luna, Twilight cast a series of protection and detection spells on the entrance, and dropped her saddlebags on the floor, soon joining them as a pile of floppy limbs. Hearing a snort, she cast her gaze towards Luna. “Comfy?” The blue mare asked. A cheeky smile across her face, Twilight nodded her head. “I’ll deal with food, if you can find it in you to assemble the sleeping sacks.” “You mean sleeping bags?” Twilight asked in response to Luna’s odd terminology. “I never understood why they are called bags.” Luna retorted absentmindedly as she rummaged through her bags for some food. The younger mare rolled her eyes, rather than argue the point any further, and slowly rose to her hooves. “Either way, yes, I’ll deal with them, if you deal with food. Without any further conversation, they went about their tasks. By the time Twilight had set out the sleeping bags, and secured an awning above to catch any water, she could already smell something that made her nose happy. “Whatever that is, it smells great. I didn’t know you could cook so well, Luna.” A smirk graced Luna’s face. “I’ll take that as a compliment. You forget that I used to be known as Equestria’s Warrior Princess, so I’ve spent a lot of time using field kitchens.” She levitated a bowl out towards her. Taking a bite of the offered food, Twilight hummed in delight, as she levitated the bowl in front of herself, and proceeded to wolf it down, much to Luna’s amusement. Soon suffering from a food-coma, it fell to the more senior princess to carry her to bed, slipping her into one of the sleeping bags. Giving her future sister-in-law one last wistful gaze, Luna shuffled herself in her own bag, and stared at the ceiling of the cave, her mind mulling over the journey’s objective and what she hoped to gain personally. I wonder if she’d even take me back?
