Prologue: Beauty of the Night
"Princess Celestia, why are we out here?" Twilight asked, curiously. "I mean, I love the Sculpture Gardens as much as the next pony, but they're nicer in the day." Twilight stopped as she gazed up at the stone statue of Discord, recoiling in surprise when she saw his face. "And they sure are a lot less creepy."
Princess Celestia smiled down at her young student before returning her gaze to the many sculptures that surrounded her. Twilight was only a small filly, and had yet to learn to see the beauty of the night. The light of the full moon shone brightly down on the gardens, casting a luminescent glow on the scene. Every color, although beautifully harmonized with the landscape around it in the day, was stunningly amplified by the moonlight. The leaves and grass boasted a far more full and dark appearance, and the bright colors that each flower proudly displayed with their petals flared with a vibrancy that only the soft glow of the full moon could provide. The marble statues glistened with a brilliant white hue, their mirror surfaces reflecting the soft moonlight so they could boast their true colors, not the glaring golden white they displayed in the sunlight.
In the areas of the gardens which the light of the moon failed to grace, dark shadows stretched across the ground, beckoning anypony who dared to take a step inside their boundaries. The usually clear pools that were scattered across the palace labyrinth maintained black so thick that they appeared to suck the darkness out of the air around them. So black in fact, that the bright light of the moon failed to penetrate it, and thus was brilliantly reflected of the surface of the pools.
Yet, despite the splendor of the scene around them, Celestia knew something was missing. A certain something that nopony in more than twenty generations had seen. A certain passion for the night sky that only one pony had ever held.
"I'm still not as good as you, Luna," Celestia whispered sadly as she gazed up at the moon. Rather, as she gazed at the depiction of the mare that resided inside. The Mare in the Moon, the ponies had come to call it. A fitting name, Celestia thought. Not terribly creative, but it was poetic enough. Not that the title did her sister any sort of justice. Not like the name her sister used to bear, a name that Celestia's lips still whispered every night as she raised the moon.
"The Beauty of the Night," Celestia again whispered. Longing seemed to flow from her words, as if they believed that nostalgia alone could return things with her sister back to the way they were so long ago. Consciously, she knew that it would only be a couple of more years before she could set everything right with her sister again. The wait was almost over, Twilight's presence confirmed it. Yet, even after almost a thousand years of waiting, the next seven years, the final seven years before her sister's return, might as well be a century. So close, yet so far away.
Twilight looked curiously up at her new mentor. She had only been Celestia's student for about a month, yet she had already felt a strong bond with the Princess that she hadn't known was possible. Yet, despite this incredible closeness, she still didn't fully understand the Princess. Was it normal for Princess Celestia to stare at the moon and talk to herself?
"Princess Celestia, why are you staring at the moon?" Twilight asked curiously, snapping Celestia out of her brooding. Celestia quickly collected herself and smiled down at her student. Before responding, Celestia made sure that she and her student would have a clear look at the night sky. After confirming that they would, she slowly lowered herself to her knees and lifted her wing, wordlessly offering Twilight to snuggle in. Twilight gladly accepted the offer, and Celestia gently wrapped her wing around her. Again, Celestia's gaze shifted back to the moon. Twilight quickly followed suit, wondering if this had anything to do with a lesson. Curiously, Twilight inspected the Mare in the Moon. She never understood what it meant, but surely Princess Celestia would!
"Princess Celestia, how did the Mare in the Moon, well, get in the moon?" Twilight asked curiously. "It never made sense to me."
As soon as she heard Twilight's question, Princess Celestia hit a mental roadblock. Celestia wasn't surprised that Twilight didn't know the legend of Nightmare Moon. The ponies of Canterlot deemed themselves far too "high society" to celebrate Nightmare Night like the rest of Equestria, so it wasn't a story that was often told amongst the city's denizens. Celestia counted herself lucky, as she doubted she would be able to handle the overbearing reminder of her sister's absence each year.
It would be easy to tell the simple, watered down story that had become of Nightmare Moon to Twilight, however that vague tale certainly wouldn't satisfy the inquisitive little filly. However, Celestia didn't feel that Twilight was truly ready to handle the whole story at her young age. The dark, bitter truth that had long since faded with time among the public. The story of the most difficult trial Celestia had ever faced. Celestia doubted she could even make it through the story without breaking down, and the last thing she wanted was for her young student to see her lose her composure entirely.
On the other hoof, Celestia knew that Twilight would eventually know the whole story. She would need to know, need to be prepared when Nightmare Moon returned. Knowledge is power, as the old adage went.
Could she do it? Could Celestia tell the truth to her student?
"Princess Celestia, are you alright?" Twilight asked, traces of worry slipping into her voice. Celestia realized that she had again zoned out, and this time felt a certain moistness on the fur around her eyes. Celestia blinked her tears away and cast a warm and motherly expression down at her student. An expression that Celestia had learned to wear on a whim when she needed to hide her emotional state from anypony she may be addressing that expected nothing less than perfection from her.
"I'm fine, Twilight," Celestia lied, albeit very convincingly. "I'm just...thinking about some things."
"What kind of things?" Twilight asked curiously. Celestia returned her gaze to the moon, searching her mind for the most convincing answer she could think of.
"An old friend of mine from long ago," Celestia responded, deciding it was the best way to skirt the truth without giving Twilight any real revelation. She hoped the answer would satisfy her student, but unfortunately Twilight's curious mind kept questions coming.
"Were you close with your friend?" Twilight asked again, eliciting a sad chuckle from Princess Celestia.
"Yes, Twilight. We were very close," Celestia responded, now coming to accept that Twilight wasn't going to stop asking questions until she was satisfied with her answer.
"What happened? Did she die?" Twilight asked, not realizing in her youthful ignorance the severe breach of etiquette her words carried. However, instead of reprimanding her student for asking such personal questions, Celestia simply heaved a sad sigh, again returning her gaze to the moon.
"In a way, she did." Celestia responded, her heavy heart finally showing itself through her mask of contentment. Celestia averted her gaze from the moon, unable to bear the sight any longer. Unfortunately, she found no solace in the beauty of the rest of the night sky, for it too visibly lacked that special touch that only Princess Luna had ever been able to add.
"I never could get it quite right," Celestia whispered to herself, not noticing her student's worried gaze as her mind wandered back to a time long forgotten to the common pony. A wave of bitter memories flooded her mind, threatening to overwhelm her and shatter her mask of dignity. A thousand years of pain that only a lonely heart can feel crashed down on her all at once, causing her chest to physically throb from emotional stress. She blinked once and shook her head, shaking away memories she did not care to indulge in.
"Princess Celestia, are you alright?" Twilight asked curiously, unsure of how to react. Celestia smiled warmly down at her student, doing her best to shake away the filly's concern.
"I'm fine, Twilight," Celestia answered, her false sincerity more than enough to convince Twilight. The corners of Twilight's mouth turned up, and then the energetic filly eagerly shifted under Celestia's wing.
"So, what are we doing tonight, Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked, making no attempt to mask her excitement. Celestia chuckled warmly and looked up at the night sky, remembering the first time she shared the activity she had planned with her sister so long ago.
"We're going to be stargazing, Twilight."
Twilight gave a curious look up at her mentor, unsure what to make of what she had just said.
"Stargazing?" Twilight asked curiously. "Weren't you going to teach me a lesson tonight?"
Princess Celestia laughed warmly at Twilight's comment.
"I will be teaching you a lesson, Twilight." Celestia replied with her ever present motherly smile. Twilight raised an eyebrow at her, as if she thought her teacher was losing it.
"How can you teach me a lesson if we're looking at stars? I mean, they're pretty and all, but I can't learn about magic from looking at them."
Celestia pulled Twilight in more tightly into her with her wing and pulled a small tea set out of a bag she had brought along with her. She then used her magic to filter some of the water from one of the pools in the labyrinth and put it in the teapot she had brought with her. She placed two silk teabags into the pot and heated it with her magic. Twilight raised an eyebrow as Celestia pulled two small porcelain cups out of her bag, setting one in front of Twilight and one in front of herself.
"Princess Celestia, my mom says I can't have caffeine this late, or I'll be up all night," Twilight said hesitantly. A mischievous grin passed Celestia's features as she filled Twilight's cup.
"Then I guess this will just have to be our little secret then, won't it?" Celestia said with a wink. Twilight frowned uncomfortably, torn between indulging her mentor and obeying her mother. Then, with a mischievous grin of her own, she grabbed the cup with her magic and lifted it to her lips.
"I won't tell on you, I promise!" Twilight said in a hushed voice. Celestia giggled and lifted a hoof to her lips before taking a sip of her own beverage.
"Not too loud," Celestia responded with a conspiratorial whisper. Twilight gave her teacher a little salute, wordlessly indicating that she understood. Celestia and Twilight shared a giggle before Celestia nudged Twilight and nodded toward the night sky. Twilight sighed in resignation, still not understanding why her mentor had her looking at stars, but willing to go along with it for her sake. Twilight looked up at the stars, and for the first time in her life, she could see why so many ponies made a hobby of it. Before then, she had never taken the time to look at the night sky. It seemed like a waste of time to her, looking at stars. But now, with her mentor, just staring into the void of space...
"Whoa...They're beautiful..." Twilight whispered.
After roughly an hour of stargazing, Celestia began to hear a soft snoring next to her. She looked down to see Twilight sleeping softly under her wing. Celestia looked over to where she knew her guards had hidden themselves and nodded. The guards uncomfortably stepped out of the shadows and walked over to Celestia, bowing deeply in front of her.
"What are your orders, Mildady?" The guard in charge asked, still bowing deeply.
"Make sure she gets to her room tonight, alright? And yes, I do expect you to tuck her in. Perhaps even a bedtime story for her, in the very likely event that she wakes up on the way," Celestia spoke with unconcealed displeasure at the guards. They winced at Celestia's orders. They had been trained to fight, not take care of foals.
"Princess, we-"
Celestia's glare alone was enough to silence the guard. He whimpered and nodded his understanding. Celestia lifted her nose into the air, and from the corner of her eye, she saw something move. Nothing glaringly obvious, just a shadow against shadows, but it did not escape her perception. She chuckled to herself before again staring down her guards.
"Now, next time, when I ask for complete privacy, I expect to receive it. No guards hiding in the shadows. Are we clear?"
The guards winced again before nodding their understanding. The younger of them lifted Twilight with his magic, hoping against hope that she wouldn't wake up.
"I've got you, little-"
"P-Princess?" Twilight whispered. The guard carrying her stifled an exasperated groan, but failed to hide his frustrations from the prying eyes of Princess Celestia. Celestia flashed a wry grin at the guard as he set Twilight on his back and began to trot away. Just as the guard rounded a corner and left Celestia's vision, Celestia saw a lavender flash.
"One...Two...Three," Celestia said to herself with a smile as a similar lavender flash, accompanied with an audible pop of displaced air, announced the arrival of her student at her side. Celestia smiled down at Twilight as she heard the guard's panicked voices calling for the filly.
"Princess Celestia, I don't want to go with them!" Twilight exclaimed, still shaking from the after effects of teleportation. Celestia smiled, and again began to count down.
"Three...Two...One."
As soon as she counted to one, Twilight turned away from Celestia, heaved, and vomited into the grass. Celestia chuckled warmly, retrieving a handkerchief from the tea set. With her hoof, she took the handkerchief and wiped Twilight's muzzle clean. Twilight gave Celestia a worried look, terrified that she was going to be punished.
"Princess, I'm so sorry!" Twilight exclaimed. "I swear I didn't mean to, I just-"
"It's alright, Twilight," Celestia said comfortingly. "It's hard to hold your stomach the first couple of times you use that spell." Celestia wrapped a comforting wing around Twilight and pulled her in, and Twilight graciously nuzzled Celestia's side. Celestia smiled warmly down at her student, then lifted her head.
"Excuse me, guards? I do believe you forgot somepony!" Celestia called out. Immediately, the guards rushed back to Celestia, both heaving relieved sighs when they saw Twilight wrapped securely under Celestia's wing. Twilight shifted uncomfortably next to Celestia, trying to get as far away from the guards as possible.
"I don't want to go with them, Princess Celestia," Twilight said nervously. "The big one is scary!"
Celestia cast a stern look on her guard captain, and he nearly buckled under it. A less disciplined pony would have.
"Have you been doing anything to scare my pupil, Captain Hammer?" Celestia asked forcefully, as if demanding an immediate response. The guard swallowed, stumbling over his words as he responded.
"N-no, Princess. N-nothing at a-all!" The guard captain took a deep breath, collecting himself before continuing. "We would never do anything to scare Lady Sparkle. If she is afraid of us, it is merely her youthful superstition." Captain Hammer paused, closing his eyes and breathing through his nose. When he opened his eyes, Celestia stood towering over him, that same stern look that nearly made him buckle while she was laying in the grass now falling down on him like an anvil. He swallowed hard, hoping against hope that Celestia wouldn't punish him severely for his explanation. To his relief and surprise, her expression returned to it's normal warm, motherly gaze, and to his greater relief she shifted it so that she was gazing down at her pupil.
"Listen, Twilight. Captain Hammer is going to take you to your room now. Don't worry, he won't hurt you. I promise," Celestia said warmly as she brought a gentle hoof to Twilight's cheek. Twilight whimpered and pressed herself against Celestia's leg, unwilling to move.
"But Princess Celestia, I want to stay with you!" Twilight exclaimed, pressing herself further into Celestia's leg for emphasis. "I don't want to go to sleep yet, I...I..." Twilight did her best, but she failed to suppress a yawn. Celestia raised an eyebrow and cast a knowing smile down at Twilight.
"Go with them Twilight, and get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."
"But Princess, I...I...I can..." Twilight yawned again, and finally accepted her defeat. She clumsily dragged herself over to the guards, and Captain Hammer lifted her onto his back with his magic.
"Goodnight Pernsiss Culustia..." Twilight mumbled wearily. Celestia smiled and waved to Twilight.
"Goodnight, Twilight Sparkle. I'll see you tomorrow." Celestia then motioned for Captain Hammer. He nodded and stepped up to Princess Celestia, Twilight now sound asleep on his back.
"Don't wake her tomorrow morning. She's earned a chance to sleep in," Celestia whispered to him. Captain Hammer nodded and began to walk away, before Celestia stopped him with her hoof. He turned back, waiting for orders.
"Wake her up when you get to her room so she can brush her teeth. And have your trainee clean that mess," Celestia added, gesturing to the small puddle of bile in the grass next to her. Captain Hammer grinned smugly and nodded to the guard recruit that was with him.
"You heard her, Shiny. Get to work."
Shining Armor bit his lip, effectively stifling an explosive sigh. With all the dignity of the most disciplined guards, he walked over to the bile, lifted it with his magic, and then used his magic to break it down until there was nothing left of it. It was a long, slow, and difficult process.
"First, Twily doesn't even recognize me, then I get to clean up after her," Shining Armor muttered to himself. "One heck of a first day."
Celestia cleared her throat, and he nearly jumped out of his armor.
"I'm sorry, I don't believe I heard that, Shining Armor. Could you speak up please?" Celestia asked kindly. Shining Armor snapped to attention, tripping over his tongue as he tried to respond.
"Err, nothing, Ma'am! Err, Princess! I mean-"
"Just finish what you were doing then," Celestia said with a warm smile. A smile that said "Just try talking out of turn again." Captain Hammer chuckled as he turned to look at Shining Armor, a smug grin stretching from ear to ear.
"I think he's just mad that he doesn't get to be flirting with your niece right now, Princess."
Celestia cast a stern look down at Captain Hammer, informing wordlessly that it was time he shut his mouth. Although she couldn't help but to chuckle at the hot blush that now adorned Shining Armor's cheeks as he finished cleaning his sister's mess. Once he finished, he turned and saluted Princess Celestia, and then walked with Captain Hammer as they took Twilight to her room. Celestia noticed with a warm smile as Shining Armor lifted his sister off Captain Hammer's back and set her down on his.
"Those two are adorable, aren't they?" Said a voice from the shadows. Celestia never took her gaze away from Twilight and her guards as she responded.
"I daresay I have never seen a stronger bond between two siblings," she said. "And might I also venture to say that you did a terrible job hiding yourself today?" Her eyes met Discord's crimson irises with vast displeasure, and the draconequus sent a smug grin Celestia's way.
"Oh, Celestia. You know almost as well as I do that you saw me because I wanted you to. After all, if you hadn't known I wanted to talk to you like this, you would have taken little Twilight back to her room on her own, and then where would we be?" Discord responded, although his voice wasn't what Celestia remembered. Although he was speaking playfully, this voice spoke with an authority that the mad draconequus never held.
"You'd probably pop into my personal quarters like usual," Celestia deadpanned. Discord chuckled, his smug grin never faltering.
"Yes indeed, your personal quarters that your subjects built with my gifts." Discord playfully flicked Celestia's cheek, drawing a sigh out of her. Her eyes scanned him in an irritated manner, as if the mere sight of him was more than she wanted to deal with.
"What's the matter?" Discord asked wryly, a coy grin adorning his face as he looked her up and down. His face lit up, quite literally, as he snapped his fingers in triumph. "Of course! It must be that boring tiara you're stuck wearing every day! Let me 'spice it up' for you!"
With another snap of Discord's fingers, the tiara on Celestia's head vanished, replaced with the more ornate tiara boasting the Element of magic. Celestia lifted her eyes and sighed, dragging a hoof down her face.
"Not really what was on my mind..." Celestia grumbled, to which Discord rolled his eyes.
"Of course, of course. It's my form, isn't it? Not really a fan?" Discord asked resignedly, his voice seeming just a little more wrong than before.
"Not so much, if I do say so myself. But you already knew that." Celestia answered flatly. Discord rolled his eyes and gave a theatrical sigh.
" Yes, yes I did know. Well fine then. How about this?"
Celestia blinked, and then brought a hoof to her face as a much younger Princess Celestia sat on her haunches in front of her. Instead of the multi-hued mane Celestia was known for now, this version of herself bore a mane of the softest pink, and an eager smile that was ready to take on the world. She looked up and noticed that Celestia's current tiara rested on her head, and the younger Celestia laughed dismissively and put it back on Celestia's head. Celestia dragged a hoof down her face, noting with some pleasure that the Element of Magic tiara had been removed from her.
"I could always use a mirror if I wanted to talk to myself," Celestia remarked sarcastically. The Celestia in front of her rolled her eyes, grunting in irritation.
"But you can't turn back the clock like I can," Celestia's image responded coyly. Celestia groaned irritably, eliciting a roll of her image's eyes.
"Well, how do you want me to appear, then?" The younger Celestia asked.
"You know exactly how I want you to appear," Celestia said with a grunt. The second Celestia "tsked" and stood, walking in a circle before facing Celestia again.
"Come now, you know I can't appear like that in this world! No better way to send a bunch of ponies into a panic than to show them a creature beyond their comprehension," Nightmare Moon responded, her teal eyes casting a condescending glance at Celestia.
"So, in order to avoid making the population of the world panic, you take the forms of the spirit of Chaos, myself, and the darkest hour of my life," Celestia said sarcastically. "And might I add that it's a little insulting that you take her form, especially after all these years." This time, Celestia's voice wavered with anger at the being in front of her. Nightmare Moon sighed, dragging a hoof down her face.
"Look, we're in the middle of the palace labyrinth, alright? The only other ponies here are a young couple who got lost on a date, and they'll be stumbling into this clearing in twenty-five minutes and thirty-two seconds. I can take any form in here, just so long as I don't poke out over the hedges."
Celestia looked around her, sighing in frustration as she realized that they had, in fact, moved to the very center of the labyrinth. There was but a single statue now, sitting in the very center of the clearing, and all around her she saw nothing else but grass and hedges. She walked slowly over to the granite statue, resting her hoof on it's base. Above the base was a statue of the sun and the moon, side by side. Celestia grunted angrily as she turned to face Nightmare Moon, her eyes narrowed and lips trembling as she aggressively stepped towards the other Alicorn.
"Remember, I'm not really her," Nightmare Moon said with that same off-voice that Discord had used. "She is only an image I am using to talk to you."
Celestia stopped in her tracks, opening and closing her mouth soundlessly before turning away from the image in front of her.
"I...I know," Celestia forced out, her voice now void of it's usual smooth, motherly tone. She then wheeled around, poised as if she were ready to strike, her eyes narrowed and face twisted with rage. "How dare you use her image! You don't have the right!"
"I have the right to do as I please!" Nightmare Moon's image shouted back, entirely unphased by Celestia's wrath. Celestia winced, knowing she had stepped out of line. She lowered herself into a respectful bow. The act of bowing in of itself was somewhat alien to Celestia, but she knew her place.
"I...I'm sorry. I-"
"Please, there's no need for that," Nightmare Moon's image responded with a warm smile as it offered a hoof to Celestia. "If I wanted you to bow at the moment, I wouldn't let you speak to me as you are."
"And how am I speaking to you at the moment?" Celestia asked as she lifted her head. Nightmare Moon's image gave Celestia a playful roll of her eyes, drawing a circle in the air with her hoof to reiterate that Celestia take it.
"As a mare speaks to her friend, you silly filly. How did you think I was speaking to you?"
Celestia smiled, took the hoof and stood, looking Nightmare Moon's image up and down. Even while knowing that she wasn't actually looking upon the most difficult struggle she had ever faced, she couldn't help but lose herself to the conflict of the most bitter loneliness she had ever felt and the purest wrath she had ever known. She opened her mouth to speak, but found that she didn't have the words. She turned away from the image, shifting her gaze to the moon.
"How much longer?" Celestia asked. Her voice shook, laced with nearly a thousand years of loneliness. Princess Celestia's image sat beside her, wrapping a wing around her back.
"Nine more years," it responded, and Celestia sighed sadly. She looked over at the image of herself, shaking her head.
"Might as well be another millennium," she muttered. Celestia's image pulled Celestia closer, and Celestia gladly accepted the comforting gesture.
"They will pass before you know it," Celestia's image responded, to which Celestia gave a bitter laugh.
"I'll have to take my word for that," Celestia responded sarcastically. Celestia's image smiled, and it rubbed it's wing up and down Celestia's back.
"Yes, indeed you will," it said. Celestia closed her eyes, focusing on the dull ache in her chest. A very real, very physical ache that plagued her every time she so much as thought about Luna. Now, speaking to a being using her own lonely image, she could hardly focus on anything else. An ache so powerful, that she didn't even notice that the wing her image had draped across her back was gone. Celestia opened her eyes, and looked down at the image of Twilight Sparkle. Not the filly she knew now, but of a young mare, full of life but with eyes that held the wisdom of the ancients. Eyes that certainly did not belong to Twilight Sparkle.
"Is she the one you told me about? The one who would save her?" Celestia asked, to which Twilight's image dragged a hoof down her face.
"No. She only showed you the most magnificent display of magic you will ever see from a pony, and now she's your personal student at exactly the age I told you she would be. Of course she's the one I told you about! You ponies are so dull-witted sometimes..." Sarcasm flowed from the mouth of Twilight's image, and Celestia sighed in response.
"Of course," Celestia responded, her voice one of weary resignation. "It was a stupid question."
"Indeed it was," Twilight's image responded without hesitation. "You should worry less about the circumstances and trust that I'm going to follow through with what I promised you."
Celestia absently nodded an agreement and returned her gaze to the moon. She blinked, and stray tears began to roll down her cheeks. She didn't sob, nor did her lips do so much as quiver.
"She's been away for so long..." Celestia said, still absently as if her mind were elsewhere. And it was. All she could think of were days long passed, days where she and her sister lived side by side, inseparable by any force the world could offer. She felt a wing drape itself across her back again, and looked up to see Luna's teal eyes gazing down at hers. A gentle smile adorned the image of her younger sister, a smile that promised everything that Celestia would ever want or need.
"It will be over soon," Luna's image responded warmly as it rubbed a wing up and down Celestia's back. "She'll be back home soon."
Chapter One: Imperfect Harmony
1000 years ago...
Celestia gave her wings a powerful flap, pushing herself further into the sky. With every flap, she could feel the magical energy the Sun provided her with coursing through her more and more, and with each pulse of energy her strength increased. Her long, pink mane and tail whipped about freely as unseen magical energy began to swirl around her, a sign that she had nearly reached her full magical potential. When she could feel nothing but the raw power of the Sun's energy coursing through and around her, she reached out with her magic, taking hold of the sun, the very essence of herself, the very reason she lived. As the sun willed itself to be firmly grasped in her magic, she began to pull it down, below the horizon. The amber glow of sunset cast itself beautifully over the land, and ponies from all around watched their beloved ruler's work in awe. Celestia gently lowered herself back to the balcony of her palace, taking a deep breath to relax herself. She then stepped off of the Balcony of Setting, watching as Luna made her way to the Balcony of Rising on the other side of the room.
"Go, my sister, I am eager to see thy works," Celestia said warmly to Luna. Luna stepped forward onto the balcony, her sky blue mane flowing gently in the cool autumn breeze. She smiled contentedly as she inhaled, and the sweet scent of a ripe apple orchard gently massaged her nostrils. As she exhaled, she began to feel a small tingle of magical energy begin to tickle her skin, a feeling she had long since grown a fond familiarity with. And thus began a well practiced ritual for the Maiden of the Night, one that she performed each night as she raised the moon and each morning as she gave way for her sister's sun. Each breath sent a surge of energy coursing through her, and with each breath she felt more and more alive. Before long, the very power that so vigorously flowed through her body began to swirl around her, causing her mane and tail to whip freely around her in a small whirlwind of raw power. Luna then reached out into the late afternoon sky, feeling her magic envelope the celestial body for which she was named, and with a powerful flap of her wings she lifted it into the sky. When Luna felt that the moon had reached it's height in the sky, Luna opened her eyes, and with a satisfied smile she watched as the late afternoon glow receded, making way for the moon's soft light to gently blanket the earth below. Energy fading around her, Luna gracefully descended back to the marble balcony to watch as one by one, the lights in her subjects homes went out, allowing their weary eyes to rest easily for the day to come.
"Thy night is as beautiful as ever, my sister," Celestia said warmly as she stepped next to her sister. Luna sighed in resignation, her gaze never leaving the village below.
"Yet it goes unnoticed by our subjects," Luna responded as if she had long ago lost heart. The younger mare sighed as she turned and walked away from the balcony and into their magnificent throne room. She gazed around the throne room, still amazed by the work of the ponies who designed and maintained it. The throne room was divided, east from west, by an imaginary line that cut directly through the center. The east side was Celestia's, and every wall, ionic column, and even her throne itself was constructed of a magnificent white marble. Everywhere Luna looked, she saw shining gold lining the marble, and a beautiful crimson silk carpet led from the massive oak door at the south end of the room all the way to the throne, and even a matching red silk cushion adorned the seat of the throne. The west half of the room that Luna claimed as her own did not pale in beauty, constructed from gleaming black basalt and lined with the purest of silver. A royal purple carpet stretched across the room, parallel to it's crimson sister, from the southern door to her throne. Matching purple cushions rested on the black throne, calling for Luna to partake in their luxury.
Yet, despite the splendor the throne room already boasted, all of it paled in comparison to the beautiful mural that graced it's ceiling. Befitting of the day, the east proudly displayed the bright blue skies of a warm summer day, while the night regally boasted the cloudy skies of a cool autumn evening. Finally, in the exact center of the ceiling, two alicorn mares circled around each other. One with a coat of the most brilliant white, who's mane and tail were as pink as the final kiss of twilight, and another with a coat of violet, and a mane and tail of a soft blue that only the stars could paint. Between the two mares, the only two pieces of the room's perfect symmetry to keep a place in both realms, sat the sun and moon. As Luna gazed up at the mural, she let out a long, sad sigh.
"Such perfect symmetry, painting such imperfect harmony," Luna whispered to herself as she began the long walk down the purple carpet to her throne. Celestia, all the while watching from the balcony, began her own walk along the red carpet to see what she could do for her sister.
"Luna, pray tell, art thou well?"
Luna lowered her head and took a deep breath, forcing a smile onto her face before facing her sister again.
"Yes, Celestia. I am well," Luna lied halfheartedly. Celestia raised an eyebrow to Luna, seeing right through her sister's mask.
"Luna, enlighten me to thy affliction, so that I may provide whatever aid I am able."
Well said, your highness, Luna thought bitterly to herself as she relaxed her forced smile so that it might appear convincing to the prying eye of her sister.
"Worry not, my sister, for I am without affliction. Now go and take thy leave. Surely thou hast grown weary while tending thy court."
Again, Celestia saw through Luna's lie, and she noticed Luna's obvious desire for her not to be present. She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. She could tell when Luna wanted space, so she understandingly gave it to her. Celestia gave Luna a curt nod and turned toward the throne room doors. She gracefully walked down the stairs along the red carpet, and then followed that same red carpet all the way to the throne room doors. Without stopping, she enveloped the east door with her magic's golden glow, slowly pushing it open. She stepped through it, and without turning around, she closed it again.
Luna watched Celestia leave with a sigh. She had a long night of court ahead, and it was sure to be a slow one. She rarely had any visitors in the night, aside from the odd weary traveler who needed a place to stay. She was about to stand from her throne to go and observe the night sky she had brought, when a very familiar voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
"Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Princess Luna, but did that foreign diplomat not appear strikingly similar to your sister?"
Luna sighed heavily as a unicorn clad in silver armor stepped out from behind her throne. Gilded Spear was an exceptionally large unicorn, and his magical prowess was renowned amongst all of the ranks of the royal guard. It was one of the primary reasons Luna had selected him to be the Captain of her guard, although her longstanding friendship with him had helped him earn the part. He was as loyal of a friend as a pony could find, and made every effort to help Luna with her personal life as well as keeping her safe. Luna never could figure how he managed to mask his magic from her senses, but she did know that when he did she would not be able to find him unless he wanted her to. And he loved eavesdropping.
"Thy loyalty is questionable, and thy action treasonous," Luna teased, forcing her tone to suggest otherwise. "Dost thou desire to discover the flavor of the dungeon's palate, Gilded Spear?"
Gilded Spear rolled his eyes and stood in front of Luna's throne, far closer than anypony other than the Princesses were ever allowed. In fact, by any right his actions were treasonous, but for him, Luna could make an exception.
"That is not the answer to my question," he pressed playfully. "Did that diplomat not appear strikingly similar to your sister?"
Luna sighed, already knowing where her friend was going with his questions. It was a conversation she had gone over with him many times in the past, and every time it irritated her more and more. She wondered when he would stop pressing the issue.
"Nay, she was no diplomat. She was indeed Celestia, Princess of the Sun." With a disheartened sigh, she added, "My sister."
Gilded Spear put on a false mask of awe, as if he were shocked by the answer.
"Really? You speak in such a formal and distant tongue with your own sister?" He asked, stepping back from the throne in mock surprise, snapping to rigid attention. "Then I must beg thy forgiveness, Princess, for allowing my speech to be so informal with thee. I swear that on the blood of my father I shan't be so frivolous again." Gilded Spear ended his theatrics with a deep bow before Luna, eliciting yet another roll of her eyes. She then spoke in a playful tone, as if teasing a small foal.
"While normally heretics such as thyself would be locked in the darkest of dungeons for thy transgressions, I do believe I am able to find it in my heart to forgive thee." Luna grinned playfully as Gilded Spear again looked up at her in mock surprise.
"Surely thou must speak in jest, for my sins are far greater than thy mercy should ever reach!"
Luna's grin grew as she stepped down from her throne, offering a hoof to her friend.
"Nay, in jest I do not speak, for although thy actions are ill befit of the captain of my guard," Luna paused as Gilded Spear accepted her hoof and lifted himself off the floor. "They do befit my closest friend," Luna finished warmly, before playfully adding, "However, thou shan't refer to me by such a name as 'Shirley' ever again. Such a name does little to flatter the Maiden of the Night."
Gilded Spear let out a hearty laugh at Luna's antics before wrapping her in a warm hug. Luna happily returned the favor, always eager to greet her closest friend. She counted herself lucky to know Gilded Spear in such an intimate manner, for true friendship was rare among even mortal royalty. But as Gilded Spear stepped away from her, his expression now one of worry, Luna sighed. Where the joys of close friendship were such that she always counted herself as lucky to be allowed to experience them, the downside was his constant worry about her, particularly concerning her relationship with her sister.
"Princess, you speak and act so freely with me, even in your court. Why are you so distant from your own sister?"
Luna let out an exasperated sigh and stamped her hoof. She had long since grown tired of this same conversation, and desperately wanted her friend to simply drop the subject.
"As I have said to you a thousand times in a thousand ways, I do not know why we have fallen away from each other!" Luna snapped, receiving a stone face from her friend. The Royal Guard was known for it's stoicism, and even in the face of Luna's wrath her captain displayed it without so much as a blink.
"You are a terrible liar, Princess," Gilded Spear said flatly. "Even I know why you are so distant from your sister. If you do not, then it is simply because you do not allow your eyes to open."
"Perhaps that is because when they are closed, I may still...make believe," Luna whispered sadly as she turned away from her friend. She looked mournfully up at the night sky, the beautiful night sky that was her gift to the world. The beautiful night sky that so few of her subjects ever appreciated. She felt Gilded Spear's hoof gently rest itself on her shoulder, and she let out a long, sad sigh. She lowered her head in resignation and walked away to one of the throne room's many balconies, and rested her hooves on it's white marble railing. As she gazed woefully at the moon, she thought of days long passed. Days where she and her sister galloped carefree through the palace gardens, laughing like foals the whole time. Days when they still bore youthful spirits, not yet hardened by the many burdens of prolonged rule of their nation. Before Discord attacked, when the land didn't even need to be ruled. When Harmony prospered in the land simply by the cycle of the sun and moon that Celestia and Luna happily brought forth. Again, she felt the comforting presence of her friend's hoof on her shoulder, and she allowed a sad smile to pass her features. She allowed her gaze to drift down to the village below, it's populace now sleeping soundly.
"They never have appreciated my work," Luna said softly to nopony in particular.
"And they know not what they miss," Gilded Spear responded. "There is no greater beauty this world has to offer, save for the Beauty of the Night herself," he added with a wink. Luna blushed hotly and gave him a playful shove.
"I do believe my title is of a Maiden, not a Beauty," Luna retorted, hiding her face from her friend so he wouldn't see her blush. Gilded Spear laughed heartily, but the words he spoke next held a sincerity that could almost be seen radiating from his lips as he spoke them.
"That may be so, but the title of Maiden does no justice for the most beautiful mare to grace this land with her presence."
Luna's blue-grey face was now almost as pink as her sisters mane, and she found she had to bury it with her hooves to hide her blush. Gilded Spear made no effort to contain his laughter at the adorable scene, and Luna shoved him back inside the throne room with her magic.
"Your words are kind, but your intentions are terribly cruel," Luna whined through her forelegs. Behind her, Gilded Spear smirked, knowing he was forcing her against a wall in this battle of wits.
"I speak only what is true, your highness. And right now, your actions are as adorable as a sleeping foal."
Luna sighed, now accepting that the more she hid her blush, the more he would make it come. She lifted her head and stepped backward off the balcony, turning to face her friend.
"Come now, Gilded Spear. You know you need not address me with such a title. My name is Luna, and you are welcome to refer to me as such."
Gilded Spear chuckled as he strode over to Luna, his relaxed posture ill befitting of a guard on duty. With a warm smile, he placed his left foreleg on her right shoulder and closed his eyes. Luna then placed her right foreleg on his left shoulder, closed her own eyes, and the two ponies rested their foreheads against each other's. It was a simple gesture, but it was a symbol of a bond that could never be broken.
"May our friendship be forever graced by loyalty, honesty, kindness, generosity, and laughter," Luna began, the words well sewn into her mind from much repetition.
"And may the magic of those traits always bind us together," Gilded Spear continued, he too reciting from memory.
"So that Harmony may remain ever present between us," they spoke in unison, completing their recital of the Vows of Harmony. They then lifted their heads, opened their eyes, lowered their hooves and stepped backwards. The two exchanged knowing smiles, as the vows they had just shared never once grew old between them. Luna turned and walked back toward her throne without another word, Gilded Spear following close behind. She stopped in front of her throne, then stepped between it and her sister's. She then looked at a small plaque on the floor, this one made not of silver or gold, nor of marble or basalt, but of the simple slab of granite those words were first etched into. The most meaningful words two ponies could ever share with one another.
"How long has it been, Luna?" Gilded Spear asked, to which Luna turned away.
"Years," Luna responded sadly. "I haven't heard those words from her in years. Let alone since we've performed the ritual together." Luna sighed, resting her hoof on the small granite slab that had meant so much to her and her sister in the past. "The Sun and the Moon, ruling equally, but not...together..." Luna said with a sigh. Gilded Spear again rested a hoof on Luna's shoulder, and Luna turned her head to face him, her aching heart throbbing in her eyes.
"Your friendship with her will heal soon," Gilded Spear said in the most reassuring tone he could muster. "But you must speak as freely with her as you do with me if you intend to mend that bond."
Luna sighed in resignation as she stepped around her friend and climbed into her throne. With a heavy sigh, she responded.
"I hope you are right," she said with resignation. Gilded Spear attempted to step forward to comfort her, but she raised a hoof to stop him. "Nay, I am well. T'is time for the Court of Night to begin. Ready thy guards, Captain."
Gilded Spear opened his mouth to speak freely once more, but stopped himself, knowing that Luna couldn't set aside her kingdom for personal matters for much longer. He bowed low before Luna before speaking again.
"It will be done, milady." Without another word, Gilded Spear rose and began to walk back to the barracks. However, before he could leave, Luna had one last thing to say to him.
"Gilded Spear?"
Gilded Spear stopped upon hearing his name, and turned to face Luna.
"Yes, Luna?"
Luna paused before speaking, as if trying to think of the best way to convey what she wanted to say. Unable to come up with anything truly eloquent, she settled on the simplest phrase she could think of.
"Thank you," Luna said warmly. Gilded Spear smiled and gave Luna a playful bow.
"Of course, my friend." With that, Gilded Spear turned bout face and marched off to the Night Guard's barracks, readying them for court. Luna watched him leave with a small smile, knowing that she could always count on him when she needed a friend. She then shifted her gaze and stared sadly up at the mural on the ceiling above her, gazing in particular at the depiction of her sister.
"The Sun and Moon, working in tandem..." Luna whispered, her words drifting into the vast emptiness of the room, lost in the void between the East and the West.
Rise, my sister. The time has come for thee to bring forth the day.
Celestia groggily opened her eyes and brushed a few strands of her pink mane aside. She dragged a hoof down her face and heaved a long sigh, unwilling to rise and face a new day.
I will make haste...after twenty more minutes of rest, Celestia responded wearily.
Get out of thy bed, Sister. We can not afford the luxury of laziness, and the moon is already falling below the horizon.
Celestia could almost hear Luna's groan in her response. Even over telepathic communications, Luna did not make an attempt to hide her irritation at her sister's love for sleep. However, Celestia wasn't going to give in so easily to her sister.
After twenty minute's rest, I will make all due haste to raise the sun. Until then, the world will have to enjoy dawn.
Sister, I will take it upon myself to drag thee out of bed by thy mane if thy sun shines not in five minutes.
Celestia chuckled at Luna's threat, knowing the younger alicorn would never act on it. But just as she was about to respond, she felt a tug against her horn. The tug turned into a long pull, indicating that the sun was rising, and needed Celestia's help to fully lift itself above the horizon. More importantly, it meant that the sun was beginning to feed Celestia with the energy she needed to get through the day, and thus she would not be able to return to sleep.
"Twenty minutes, twenty minutes is all that I ask..." Celestia muttered to herself. She groaned and rolled out of bed, stumbling as her hooves hit the floor. She staggered over to a full body mirror that rested in the corner of her room and lifted a brush from her desk, running it through her mane in an attempt to make herself appear somewhat presentable. After setting down her brush, she continued through an expertly practiced routine of gracelessly staggering around her bedroom like a drunken sailor. Eventually, she tripped over her own hooves and fell into the room's massive oak door, She sliding clumsily to the floor. All four of her legs were sprawled behind her, yet her head was still level with the door handle. Before she could react, the door was enveloped in magic and flung open by the guards standing outside, her head falling unceremoniously to the floor just outside her room. The guards shared an uncomfortable glance, unsure how to react.
"Um...Princess Celestia, art thou well?" The higher ranking of the two guards asked cautiously, unsure if his words might provoke Celestia's anger. Celestia grunted, but didn't move from her position.
"I am indeed well. What hast thou seen that would imply otherwise?" Celestia asked, her words muffled by the carpet that she spoke into. Again, the guards shared an awkward glance, unsure of what to do. Without another word, they decided that their best course of action would be to return to their posts on either side of the door, looking straight ahead as if nothing had happened.
Sister, where art thou? The sun needs to be raised! Luna's message seemed more urgent than what Celestia felt was necessary. Or maybe the message conveyed a severe irritation at Celestia's inability to rise before the sun. Celestia figured it was the latter, but in her current state of weariness she just didn't care. Slowly but surely, Celestia dragged herself to her hooves forced herself to appear composed. She then turned to the guards and gently closed her bedroom door with her magic.
"Nopony is to know of what thy eyes have witnessed this morning, dost thou understand?" Celestia demanded in a hushed voice. The guards nodded, keeping their mouths shut to emphasize their point. Celestia gave them an emotionless nod. "Good," she said flatly.
Celestia gracefully turned about face and strode down the stairs of her tower, her long strides slowed by her weariness. As she reached the bottom of the stairwell, she opened the massive oak door to her tower with her magic, surprising the guards on the other side. As a rule, the guards opened the door for Princess Celestia, even when they were unable to see her approach. For Celestia to open the door herself was a sign of incompetence on the guards part, and their slack jaws put every ounce of their broken pride on display. Celestia allowed herself a smug grin as she strode nonchalantly past them, turning the corner and making her way to the eastern dining hall to acquire a small meal before starting her day.
As always, Celestia took her strawberry crepes to go, savoring their flavor with every bite as she continued to walk down the castle's many long hallways on her way to her destination. Simply to spite Luna for so rudely awakening her, she decided to take an extra long stop in the eastern atrium, allowing her gaze to float around at each of the many exotic and local plants that the atrium boasted. Palm trees, burning bushes, even a few pots of sunflowers rested on display for all of the world to see.
Oh, how I love sunflowers! Celestia thought to herself as she inspected one of the pots of sunflowers. So simple, yet so beautiful! I wonder why Luna hates them so much...Probably because she is nocturnal...
Celestia continued aimlessly circling the atrium, absently munching on her crepes as she did so. She inhaled deeply through her nose, reveling in the wonderful scent of all the various plants in the room. Again she circled the room, admiring the shining gold flowerpots that housed each of her magnificent plants. Such perfect gold, gleaming as the amber glow of d awn flooded into the atrium through it's skylight. She began another circle of the room, only to be interrupted by Luna's irritated voice inside her head.
Sister! Enough delays, the sun must rise!
Celestia groaned in irritation, but quickly caught herself and glanced around the room to ensure that nopony had heard her. Seeing that the room was empty, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Wouldst thou relax? I will be along shortly! Celestia snapped back, again feeling a powerful pull against her horn. Very shortly, she added with a sigh of resignation. She turned and strode out of the atrium, focusing everything she had on lifting her hooves off the floor with each step. As much as she wanted to drag her hooves, it was important that she at least appear to want to be headed for the throne room.
Three hundred years without a single day off will wear on a pony, Celestia thought to herself as she rounded the final corner leading to the throne room. She looked up at the massive oak doors of her throne room, breathing a soft sigh of resignation before opening the door bearing the image of her sun. When she stepped inside and closed the door, she heaved an exasperated sigh and dropped her mask of composure entirely. As she began to make her way to the Balcony of Rising, Luna let out a smug chuckle from her place on her throne. Celestia turned aggressively to face Luna, her eyes narrowed and snout scrunched up like leather that had soaked in the rain and dried in the hot sun.
Pray tell, what EXACTLY dost thou find so humorous about my actions?
Luna tittered childishly before responding, leaving Celestia all the angrier.
I am sorry, my sister, but I do believe that my moon must fall before thy sun may rise, Luna thought smugly to Celestia. Celestia groaned and fell back to her haunches in frustration.
Then ensure that thy moon take leave of the dawn sky, Celestia responded irritably. Luna rolled her eyes and stepped off of her throne, walking over to the west side of the room and taking her place on the Balcony of Setting. Luna closed her eyes, focusing on the moon that still hovered just above the horizon. With a powerful flap of her wings, she lifted into the sky, and the first surges of magical energy began to flow through her. With every flap of her wings, more power began coursing through her body, invigorating her in a manner that could not be duplicated. When she found herself unable to call upon any more power, she reached out with her magic and grabbed hold of the moon. She then steadied her wingbeats, slowly descending back to the Balcony of Setting. As her hooves gently touched down on the marble floor, she opened her eyes and watched as the moon descended below the horizon. She then calmly stepped off the balcony, watching as her sister clumsily made her way to the Balcony of Rising on the other side of the room.
"Wouldst thou prefer if I took thy place this morning?" Luna teased. Celestia snorted in irritation before closing her eyes forcing herself to focus on her beloved sun. She then took a deep breath through her nose, and exhaled through her mouth, shuddering as raw magical energy began to flow through her. With each breath she took, more energy coursed through her body, strengthening her moment by moment. Eventually, a small whirlwind of energy began to circle around her, lifting her mane and tail and whipping them about her as if she was just outside the reach of a tornado. When she finally felt that she had summoned enough energy, she reached out to the sun with her magic and grabbed hold of it. With a powerful flap of her wings, she ascended into the sky, her sun following her to take it's place above the horizon. With every flap of her wings, the sun rose higher. When Celestia had finally placed the sun high enough in the sky that it could continue it's cycle on it's own until sundown, she released her grip on it and allowed herself to fall gently back to the balcony. When she lifted her head, she noticed that her mane no longer fell against her neck, and instead was flowing gently in a nonexistent breeze. She smiled, taking note that her tail was alive in a similar manner.
"It would seem that the Summer Solstice is nearly upon us," Luna remarked, to which Celestia nodded.
"Indeed it is, my sister. T'is naught but a week away."
Luna stared with envy at her sister's form. As the Summer Solstice drew near, Celestia reached the height of her strength, and her beauty. Her mane and tail were imbued the energy of the sun itself, appearing almost as if each strand of hair had been replaced with magic. Even her coat radiated with energy, and it seemed to glow in the morning light. Luna cycled through her own height of strength with the Winter Solstice, and in the weeks leading up to the Summer Solstice her power was at it's weakest. Even her physical form diminished during the summer, leaving her barely larger than an average earth pony stallion. If the two ponies were currently standing side by side, it would appear as if Luna were Celestia's daughter, not her sister. At this point in Celestia's cycle, she would have no need of sleep for almost a month. For Luna, that meant a month of not having to worry about Celestia being a cranky morning-mare.
"Thou art even awake, so it would seem," Luna teased with a smirk. Celestia chuckled warmly, her morning weariness now entirely evaporated by the energy the sun provided to her.
"I rise with the sun, as it were," Celestia responded, her tone now calm and motherly. Celestia stepped off of the Balcony of Rising and and made her way to the red silk carpet, turning to walk gracefully along it to her throne. As she climbed up to her throne, she turned to Luna, her motherly expression unmoving. "I bid thee to take thy leave, Luna. It is time that the Court of Day begin."
Luna opened her mouth to protest, but decided against it. She opted instead to nod and leave the throne room without another word, exiting through the west door. As she slowly walked down the halls of the castle, she took note of how each member of the castle staff bowed respectfully when she passed by. She nodded to each of them, thanking them for their work. She stepped into the castle's western atrium, gazing deep into one of the shallow pools that it proudly displayed. Her blue grey face showed no signs of weariness, and her brilliant teal eyes hid any hint of the anguish she was enduring. If one were to describe what could be seen on her features, that pony would more than likely have said that Luna appeared proud.
A perfect little mask for a perfect little lie, Luna thought, her contented smile faltering for only a moment. She looked away from the pool, returning to her route back to her room. Deciding that she would enjoy a slight detour, she decided to take the long way to her tower. The long way brought her along the castle's long open air corridor overlooking the western half of Everfree town. The town was closer on the western half than it was on the east, and Luna could clearly see the individual ponies going about their daily business. Massive earth pony stallions hauling haywagons, unicorn mares chatting idly with their friends at their favorite cafes. What caught her attention more than anything else though, were two unicorn fillies, laughing and skipping about the town square. Luna rested her hooves on the basalt railing, sighing as the young fillies chased each other about, happy and carefree. Happy, in the brilliant light of day.
They are always there, waiting for daddy to get off of work, Luna thought with a sad smile as she watched Gilded Spear jump out from behind a corner to scare the two fillies. They shrieked and laughed again as their father scooped them up in his magic and dropped them on his back. A unicorn mare leaned against him, and they kissed gently before turning and heading back home, as a family. A happy family, enjoying the brilliant light of day. She knew her guard captain would be retiring to his bedroom to get some much needed sleep as soon as he got home, but until then, even he would be enjoying the brilliant light of day more than her gentle night.
Luna tore herself away from the sight of the town, unable to take any more of it. She took a moment to compose herself, putting her proud mask back on. As she returned to the cool and dim hallway, she let out a relieved sigh. The hot sunlight was such an irritation to her eyes that she could hardly keep them open against it's relentless assault. Why she wasted those precious moments of her life willingly subjecting herself to it she could not fathom.
As she continued walking along the dim corridor, she felt a low rumble from her stomach. She sighed, deciding that perhaps eating would be a good idea after a long night tending to her court, despite the fact that she hadn't had even a single guest the entire night. She hadn't even had a single item on her agenda beyond raising and lowering the moon. As she strode through the doors of her personal kitchen, she had to convince herself for the thousandth time that she was more than a figurehead. She shared equal authority with her sister, and every major law in Equestria that had been passed bore her seal as well as Celestia's.
I am just as important as my sister, Luna thought silently as she helped herself to several of her favorite breakfast dishes. She closed her eyes dreamily as she sunk her teeth into a strawberry crepe, savoring the flavor of the pastry and temporarily forgetting her problems. Without ever sitting down, she ate her food faster than she intended to and thanked her kitchen staff.
I guess mornings are not so bad... Luna thought to herself as she licked her lips and continued on her way to her tower. As she walked along the long corridors, the little bit of happiness she had just enjoyed slowly began to disappear, taking flight as she gazed upon each of the many reminders that she and her sister were no longer as close as they were supposed to be. She stopped at a row of stained glass windows, curiously glancing at the multicolored reflections they left on the purple carpet she stood on before taking in the images on the windows. The first window depicted the two sister's battle against Discord, each of the sisters wearing an ornate tiara. Celestia bore the Element of Magic, the most powerful of the six elements, while Luna's tiara proudly displayed each of the five traits that truly brought harmony between ponies.
Luna shifted her gaze to the next window, depicting the sister's coronation. Celestia and Luna, the true and eternal rulers of Equestria. The window depicted hundreds of ponies bowing in the throne room, and the sisters stood proudly before the crowd. Above it, Luna saw that same image on the mural: two alicorns, one of night and one of day, circling each other and bringing harmony to the land.
Finally, Luna stopped at the third window in the row, and the lead weight that had formed in her stomach threatened to pull her to the floor. The image was of the six elements of harmony. In the center, a large image of the Element of Magic sat proudly, and around it Loyalty, Honesty, Kindness, Generosity and Laughter stood guard, each of them far smaller in size. They stood guard, in the background, away from the focus of the image.
"Always in her shadow..." Luna whispered quietly to herself, forcing herself to keep her composure. Having had enough of sightseeing, she decided to make haste to her room to retire for the day. She moved at a brisk walk, doing everything she could to avoid breaking into a full gallop. As she finally rounded the corner leading to her tower, she quickly opened it's massive oak door and vanished inside. Still trying to avoid breaking into a gallop for the sake of her guards, she forced herself to ascend the stairs as slowly as possible. After close to five minutes of walking up the stairs, she finally reached the top, nodding politely to the guards that stood outside. They didn't budge in response, perfectly displaying the proud stoicism that her honor guard was known for. She allowed herself a small smile of pride, real pride, as she slowly opened the massive oak door to her personal quarters and stepped inside, closing it gently behind her.
Once she knew she was free from the prying eyes of the world, she fell back on her haunches, lowering her head to the ground. She wished she could appreciate everything she had. She wished that ruling over a wonderful nation in a magnificent palace was enough for her. As her gaze shifted from the royal purple carpet to the basalt wall, her eyes rested on a painting. A painting of herself and Celestia, created almost two hundred years prior. The two sisters were resting their heads against one another, their eyes closed. Contented smiles adorned each of their faces, smiles that neither of the sisters had worn in over a century. Luna stood and walked over to the painting, resting her hoof on her sister's image. Her heart ached for the days that had long since passed, the days where she and Celestia were still sisters. Not the Royal Diarchy, not the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, but sisters. She ached to feel the love of her sister, she ached, physically ached for her sister to notice her, to end the loneliness that had plagued her heart for so long.
"All I want is you," Luna whispered, lowering her hoof back to the floor.
It was then that Luna heard a voice that sent a chill up her spine. No, not heard, but felt. She felt it from inside her own head. A voice bearing all the friendliness of a con mare making her first play against her victim.
Come now, is she really all you want? Because I can give you so much more...
