The Fractured - Farcture-verse

Outside of the select group with spinal injuries, Rock Cracker, the steel grey Earth stallion, was my first volunteer for prosthetic limbs. Unlike me, he was missing both hind legs. As a result, he was stuck in a wheel belt, this world’s solution to a wheelchair I assumed, in order to move anywhere. It had been more than a year since he had been able to work at the quarry after an accident with a fully laden wagon.

Of course, to my frustration, I was not the one to perform the operation. It was once again to be carried out using the direction I had given to Doctor Stitch. Thankfully, this one was a success. It brought the total to twelve and we kept on going.

Without being allowed to do anything on the surgical side, despite Doctor Stitch now admitting my knowledge to be, in part, greater than that of most resident doctors, I was forced into the role of research and development. At least I knew the surgery side was in very capable hooves. I just wished I could be more involved with every aspect from start to finish, especially with all I’d had to study and learn to integrate my creations effectively.

As we moved past thirty successful procedures, be they spinal or leg based, I began to turn my attention to other areas. Prosthetics for fillies and colts which could be adjusted as they grew. Keeping the components sturdy and mobile enough yet adaptable was proving difficult. The, as yet, highly experimental wing replacements, for which testing was always going to be difficult. And a couple of more secret projects I was keeping close to my chest.

It was hard to believe what we had achieved in the ten months since I had landed in this world. But that didn’t stop me from looking for another challenge to conquer. This led to me keeping very odd hours, often with little sleep. I soon developed an addiction to green tea. To this day, I still secretly blame Celestia for that one. After all, she was the one who introduced me to it. Unsurprisingly, my growing list of bad habits were beginning to take their toll.

After yet another examination of my left eye, Doctor Stitch was forced to talk to me in his most stern voice after many months. My eye was deteriorating rapidly. Not that I hadn’t noticed. My default setting for it was now a narrow squint and, even then, things were difficult to make out. I’d knocked back glasses soon after arriving in Equestria. What was the point in wearing them when one eye was already useless?

It was then that I finally relented and let another pony in on one of my secret side projects; not without swearing Doctor Stitch to complete secrecy first. The reason I had never spoken of it before was because of its extreme level of risk. If the leg replacements were a risk of three out of ten, and the spinal grafts were a nine, this project was off the scale with regard to medical technologies and skill either here or in the human world. Where previous prosthetics tapped into the nervous system, these ones required probes to be inserted directly into the brain.

What needed such drastic surgeries you might ask? Only the complete replacement of eyes along with their optic nerves.

This proposal left Doctor Stitch staring at me in a mix of horror and awe. I knew why he would be so worried. I’d pondered it many a time I struggled for sleep. For whoever this surgery was performed on, it would be an all or nothing procedure. Not only could it end with the patient being left permanently blind, there was also the drastically high probability of damaging the brain or killing them.

To even suggest it be trialled on me, a member of the Royal family without it being perfected first, was laughable at best.

This was not something to consider lightly and, if anypony else even knew I was working on it, I doubted they would allow me to continue. I had ideas, even rudimentary plans in the back of my mind. I had not dared to make a prototype as that would involve Pyrus’ help, and his help only came with thorough explanation of every outcome. In this case, he would know I intended to use it on myself and he would instantly balk at the prospect.

I smiled faintly to myself. I loved his protective nature, but this would kick it into a gear I would be unable to overcome.

With my plans now aired to another secrecy-bound pony, I was able to return to my work with Pyrus. We had more prosthetics to craft and needy ponies were waiting. At least I had some solace with my failing eyesight, I could still feel the minute structure of things I wrapped in my magic. Honestly, it had only come about from working with the pathways in the magical capacitors.

The down side, of course, was once I could no longer see, I would be unable to transfer my plans for others to use or explain to Pyrus. Once I was blind, there would be no further advancements of my works. At least not by me.

Unsurprisingly, dwelling on what my mind saw as my inevitable future enveloped in darkness soon dragged me back down into melancholy. One which, thankfully, Aria didn’t berate me for. Even she was starting to come to terms with what I was facing.

* * *

I did my best to work through my growing depression by forcing myself into my creations. A month had passed and I sat at my worktable, squinting with my only functional eye as I tried to review the latest potential patient’s list of needs. I could barely see now. It was so very frustrating, but I tried to not let it show.

I hated that whip strike from that minotaur for what it had done to me, but I didn’t regret daring to interfere with him. Pyrus may not have been able to speak, but he was a good friend and loyal bodyguard. He now spent much of his time sitting with me. Aria had also chosen to spend this time resting on my bed. She was incredibly frustrated with the later stages of her pregnancy, but also wanted to be as close as possible to the ones she felt safest around. Not that she’d ever put voice to the thought.

One morning, however, Aria entered my room, her face gripped with worry. At first, I thought it was in regard to her unborn foal. Aria said otherwise, adding the reason for her concern. Celestia and Luna wished to speak with me. They didn’t tell Aria why, only for us to attend the throne room immediately.

I sighed and shook my head. It may have been brought to my attention by Aria, and she may have mellowed somewhat as her pregnancy continued to progress, but a message from Celestia and Luna was still just that. It was a call which must be answered yet would drag me away from what I would rather be doing.

Yes, I am a Princess, no matter how much it still irked me, but I tried to make it clear that the royal court was their business, not mine.

Celestia always made sure to point out how I was living in the castle and using its facilities in order to craft the limbs I made. I always countered with the point about how Luna wouldn’t let me live anywhere away from the castle; not even in the village with Celestia’s prized student who also happened to be a Princess. Not to mention, thanks to a little investigation into a certain Alicorn adoption and her subsequent marriage, I was now vaguely related to said Ponyville Princess. Twilight, the one who kept her grudge with Aria warm for whenever we met.

Celestia of course countered my counter with the fact I should spend more time with my mother and share in what she does to help all of Equestria flourish. I hated that argument. Even though I understood now how I had ended up in the world of humans, it didn’t help remove the memories of centuries spent there thinking I had a human mother somewhere in my hazy past, although, now I knew otherwise.

And yet, I always caved to the request. Always.

So, I wrapped my cape around my body to hide most of my injuries and, with Pyrus and a rather pregnant Aria walking either side of me, I sullenly abandoned my work to join Celestia and Luna at court. When I arrived, I found both older Princesses sitting on their thrones. The usual orderly queue waiting to approach the Princesses was nothing more than a large milling group of seemingly random ponies. None of the usual nobles appeared to be in attendance.

As I made my way to stand with Luna and Celestia, the murmurs in the court grew quiet. I squinted and frowned at the reaction. Usually my appearance garnered hushed whispers or gasps of shock; the latter from the sight of my scars or missing leg, especially once the press-ponies had finally discovered them and spread word around the entire country. This was something else.

“Greetings, daughter mine,” Luna beamed at me. My eyebrow rose in question at this. She was just a bit too happy. Then I caught it. She wasn’t smiling with her eyes. Remembering what I had overheard her saying to her sister, my tail drooped. It was hard to deny, no matter how unintended, I was ignoring her. I would need to speak with her soon and try to help set her fears aside.

Luna tried to usher me to sit upon a throne I had mostly refused to use. It was smaller than those of Celestia and Luna. Sitting beside Luna’s throne, mine was plain in appearance while those of my Aunt and Mother were adorned with their cutie marks. It wasn’t neglect which led to my throne being plain, there was simply no mark on my flank for it to bear. Truthfully, it was of little interest to me. My projects were far more important than seeking a mystical butt tattoo.

So, at Luna’s insistence, I took my place at her side. Once I had settled myself and adjusted my cape to cover my missing limbs, yes there was no longer a need to do so but old habits were hard to shake, I looked out upon the rest of the court. I blinked and narrowed my gaze at what I saw just to know I wasn’t mistaken. If my eye wasn’t fully failing me, I was certain there were well over a hundred ponies in attendance. Maybe close to two hundred.

By the night, what was this about?

The court began with the reading of our titles and the gathered ponies bowing to each princess in turn. I’d been through this before. When the initial formalities were passed, Kibitz, in his role as speaker, called for requests from the audience.

Somepony raised their hoof and they were brought forward. I stared at the pony in question. There was little way for me to not recognise him. He looked so proud standing before the thrones in his stiff military stance. He raised a hoof in salute to us then bowed after he was acknowledged. His short-cropped mane made it easy to see the top of his spinal graft. My breath caught in my throat. This was Lucky Buck.

“Your Majesties and Highness,” Lucky Buck began, his voice as strong as his stance. “I come before you, as a representative of former soldiers injured in battle, to pay my respects to those we so willingly served and protected. It has always been an honour, despite the injuries which have forced many of us to retire.

“I also come, as one of those so gifted with a second chance, to formally thank those who were instrumental in many of us walking again. In particular, we former military ponies wish to extend an offer to her Highness, Princess Selene, to form her very own voluntary guard in honour and gratitude for what she has so kindly given to us.”

Lucky turned to me and bowed again. Other military ponies I remembered helping moved forward to stand in line behind Lucky and raised their hooves in salute.

I was dumbstruck. I was still unused to having others bow to me or single me out for praise, but this group in particular… I was struggling to make sense of it.

I caught a movement beside me and turned to find Celestia and Luna watching me. Both were smiling. After a couple of silent moments, Celestia spoke up. “Dear Niece. It will be for you alone to accept or decline such an offer. Simply know that all who wish to volunteer have passed re-enlistment requirements and have proven themselves more than capable for the role.”

My eye widened at that. Re-enlistment requirements? That must mean they were all— I peered as best I could at the former soldiers, even leaning forward on my throne to get a better look. They were all recipients of my prosthetic creations and they were all deemed capable of returning to fully active service. This was a far more positive outcome than I could have ever dreamed. My jaw fell and I stared forward incapable of speech.

There was a chuckle from beside me. It was Celestia again. “I believe our young Princess has been rendered speechless.”

She wasn’t wrong. Thankfully, Celestia spoke on my behalf.

“We thank you for your most generous offer, soldiers,” Celestia stated. “You will be contacted with her Highness’ response once she is better capable of making a judgement.”

Lucky saluted again. “Of course, your Majesty.”

With that, I watched as the former soldiers filed away from before the thrones and returned to their places amongst the audience. I closed my eye and let out a shuddering breath. This was surprisingly exhausting. When I opened my eye again, another familiar stallion had taken the place of Lucky Buck. It was Rock Cracker. And he was joined by two young fillies and a mare. All knelt in bow to us before rising for Rock to speak. As he did so, the mare, clearly his wife, did her best to keep the rather excited looking fillies, their daughters, from getting out of hoof.

“Your Highness,” Rock said. “There are few words which can show our gratitude for what you and those working with you have given to us.”

He looked to the fillies and gestured for them to move forward. They did so, smiling somewhat sheepishly as they stood in front of their father before the Princesses of their lands.

“Thank you, your Highness,” the two fillies recited as if they were addressing a teacher or guest in a classroom with one voice. I caught some softly cooed awws from beside me as we watched the fillies be wrangled by their mother before their father returned to speaking.

“We are but humble ponies, like others you have helped. Ones you wouldn’t bat an eye at if you were to pass us in the street. But, you saw something more in us. The gifts you have granted us, without cost, we can never repay,” Rock Cracker stated. “Just the chance to provide for our families and join with them in their active lives. It brings a stallion to tears.”

There were a few sniffles in the audience. Apparently, Rock Cracker wasn’t the only one to feel such emotions.

“As such, if it isn’t presuming too much of you, your Highness,” Rock said. “I and others you have helped would like to make a request.”

And I was blindsided yet again. What was with this group of ponies? I started to understand when others baring my special prosthetics stepped forward, mare and stallion alike. Making a quick count in my head… Yep, my hunch was right. These were all the ponies my designs had helped and passed through rehabilitation. The others assembled in the audience were probably their families.

I blinked at the crowd. So many ponies from so few. It was overwhelming.

My thoughts were quickly broken as Rock Cracker restarted his speech.

“And, although we truly wish for you to continue your work, we have noticed the toll it has taken on you, our Princess,” Rock said.

That was interesting. They considered me their Princess. I wasn’t doing this for love or devotion. I only wanted to help and this was the best way I had found to do so. Even in the human world I had an affinity for devices, gears and mechanical things. But here, it had gone in a direction I had never dreamt possible.

I shook the thought aside and peered forward. Rock was still talking. I had missed some of it and something about his tone made me think I shouldn’t miss what came next.

“—no other pony understands the risks of these procedures better than we ponies you have helped,” Rock stated. “And so, your Highness, we, to who you have given so much, beg of you. Please, before the next pony you help, take some time to grace yourself with your gifts for, not only do you deserve and need them, but we wish you to see the fruits of your talents and works for many years to come.”

My head snapped back, startled. The audience of ponies, the ex-soldiers and regular citizens, along with their families moved as one. They straightened themselves then bowed. I stared at them, the whole crowd, in utter amazement. Amongst them were the first fifty, fully accepted by society, no matter the look of the prosthetics which were now integral parts of their bodies.

“Please Princess,” the crowd begged as one. Nearly two hundred ponies. All who were now capable of living their lives as they once had, because of me, Pyrus, Doctor Stitch and his team. So many talented ponies coming together to help others and there I was at the centre of it all. My designs and creations. In a perfect world, they wouldn’t be needed. But they were needed and, so long as I could wield them, blind or not, my skills and talents with crafting these prosthetics for others from gears, metals and crystals would be forever at their disposal.

I felt a little funny in that moment. Like a tingle rushing out from my heart to the furthest reaches of my body. I smiled at the feeling. It was comforting yet decisive and left me feeling oh so warm. Looking at the audience, I noticed the court was a little brighter than earlier. I rose from my throne, feeling my cape slip to my right, uncovering my flank and tail.

Ignoring my cape, I said, “I will do as you wish.”

The looks of adoration on the faces in the crowd, as the ponies rose from their bows, suddenly became wide-eyed amazement. I frowned. Something had happened in that split second. The world had changed in such a way that all in the court were left speechless, save for a single older stallion whose voice rang out in awe.

“To witness it,” the stallion gasped. “The earning of a Royal Cutie Mark!”

“Such a wonder,” gasped a mare, after rediscovering her voice.

I didn’t see who had spoken. I was too busy turning my head to inspect my flank. I caught a glimpse of Celestia and Luna in that moment. Both appeared just as stunned as the crowd. Their eyes were on my flank.

For there it was. A cutie mark. MY cutie mark. It was strange looking until you understood it. A series of different sized gears, springs and rods, with a blue crystal at its core, formed the shape of a metal heart. It was the mark which eventually earned me the nickname Gearheart.

In that moment, I truly felt I had become a pony.

* * *

It took a few days for word to reach me of how anypony had even an inkling of an idea that I had been making plans regarding my eyes. I had to laugh, even if the source had broken an oath to a patient under his care. It was Doctor Stitch. He let his worries slip to one of our patients when they asked about me.

This led to the word getting to the ex-soldiers I’d helped. By the night, those ponies were gossips. Eventually, they formed a proposal and brought it to Luna and Celestia at a closed session of court. Of course, I had missed it! I so rarely attended. Sneaky, sneaky ponies.

It wasn’t helped by the next many days being a blur to me. There were celebrations regarding me gaining my cutie mark. The words of those two ponies at court that day were prophetic. It was a rare occasion for a princess to gain her cutie mark when already crowned. I did my best to play my part in the festivities, but I really wanted to get back to work.

When I did, there was so much to do. Most of which was incredibly intricate; finely crafting the magical capacitors to not only act as the power source, but as the focal lenses as well, took the most precise care I could muster.

There were other hiccups along the way, including getting the eyes to take the appearance of regular day ponies’, as well as having the ability to switch to the slitted pupils of the bat ponies. Less said about the work of the brain probes the better. Even before the procedure to insert them into my skull they were giving me a headache.

We eventually ironed out the kinks and the day of my surgery was fast approaching. I know I had fears regarding the procedure. What rational pony wouldn’t? Sure, I was the reason others had undergone similar surgeries regarding preparation of limb prosthetics. But this was to be the first to include the replacement of an entire sense with one of an artificial nature.

Whether it was fear of the outcome or fear of losing a chance, it was more than likely the driving force which led me to that door. However, it didn’t help me to step through it.

The door in front of me was just that, a door. A portal to another room. A passage from place to place. Yet this door and what lay beyond had my stomach churning with worry and anxiety. I breathed deeply, held it, then let it out. It was an act intended to bolster my resolve and ease jumping nerves. It didn’t help.

Neither did the fact I couldn’t knock on a door without nearly falling over. Being a tripod in a world of quadrupeds wasn’t exactly an easy thing, even with magic. Thankfully, somepony had left their feather duster on a nearby side-table.

I wrapped it in my magic, brought it to the door, sucked in my breath, then gently tapped the butt of the duster against the door. It took only a moment for the door handle to ignite in blue magical essence, a colour so similar to my own. The handle turned. I quickly returned the feather duster to the side-table, clearly a maid must have been missing it, before the door swung gracefully open and I was beckoned forward by a familiar strong voice.

“We bid thee enter.”

I didn’t move. I was still holding my breath. I also knew I was hesitating.

Letting my breath out, I cautiously stepped into the room. I had been here before and I knew it to be similarly dim in its lighting to my room. The domed ceiling was enchanted to show the stars in the heavens above, even when the sun was shining like it was at the moment.

This was Luna’s room. It was late in the day and, as I expected, she was lounging on her bed reading a scroll as I limped my way over to her.

As I neared, she lifted her gaze, set aside her scroll and gave me the tired smile of a pony who had only been awake about ten minutes.

“Evening, daughter mine,” Luna greeted guardedly, as I came to a halt in front of her. “We congratulate thee upon gaining thy cutie mark. All ponies rejoice upon their achievement, as should thee. We are happy to have witnessed the event and are grateful to have been included.”

I inwardly groaned. That had been weeks ago and it wasn’t why I was here, but… I caught myself. I had been doing it again. I had ignored her unintentionally. I mentally cursed myself and forced a smile onto my face. I hoped it was convincing. She sounded so melancholy already and what I was here to do probably wouldn’t easily improve her mood.

Luna returned a stiff smile. There was only regret in her eyes though.

I sighed and braced myself. This was probably the hardest conversation I ever had to start in my life. I knew it needed to happen but I still wasn’t sure of how to go about it. I’d been so focused on the idea of coming to speak with Luna, I hadn’t actually crafted a way to do so once we were face to face.

Luna blinked at my hesitance. While her eyes were clearly awash with roiling emotions, her face remained calm and resolute. It was so difficult to read. I cringed at my quickly faltering resolve and accidentally blurted out the exact thing which was on my mind.

“Did you really mourn for a thousand years?” And I was suddenly mortified. Stupid runaway mouth.

Luna’s head darted back as if physically struck. She parted her lips to speak but hesitated, taking a moment to study my face; her eyes squinted out her question even before she posed it. “Thou… overheard us?”

I gave a small nod, not daring to return her eye contact. “Not intentionally. I was coming to show you both my prototype.”

I shook my head. “I didn’t know you were already in deep discussion. I was just looking for you and Celestia.”

I glanced up at her. Her expression appeared cold as she gazed down on me. I felt so small in that moment. My body involuntarily scrunched up as much as it could to show it on the outside. Then the words I had been struggling to say, since the day I understood what I had been doing to Luna, slipped from my lips. “I’m sorry.”

Luna blinked at me, her eyes widening in surprise. She moved to speak but I pressed on. My voice trembled at first, but gradually eased as the words continued to flow.

“I’m sorry if it felt like I’ve been ignoring you,” I said, lowering my head as I spoke. I felt so ashamed to have made her even think it was true. “Since arriving in this world, I’ve been through so much. Even learned things about myself I never expected. It has been a lot to come to terms with.”

I slowly shook my head from side to side. “I now understand the relationship we once had, I never meant for you to feel otherwise. Everything is such a mess. I still don’t fully know who I am now, in this world or amongst the humans. Again, I’m sorry. I never knew how much my lack of acknowledgement was hurting you.”

Given a chance, I would have rubbed at an elbow to try and settle my nerves but… one front leg and all. Also, with that very same chance, I probably would have bolted from the room already.

For her part, Luna remained silent. She watched as I shifted uneasily under her gaze. She remained the image of perfect regal posture while her mind digested my rambling words. I can’t say they were the greatest words or very well put together. But I meant them, no matter how messy they were.

Luna’s reaction wasn’t to speak. Instead, she shuffled back a little on her bed, opening up some space before lighting her horn in her magical glow. It didn’t surprise me to be wrapped in her magic and lifted from my hooves. She had done so before. I did, however, shrink back in her grasp as she drew me closer before setting me down on the mattress in front of her.

Letting her magic fade, I remained standing before her. Being at eye level with her while she lay on her stomach truly showed how much taller she was compared to me, even when she wasn’t standing.

“Please,” Luna said, her voice as soothing as she could muster. “Sit.”

I did as told. My flank hit the sheets and— I froze. Oh, the feel of those sheets against my fur. They were so very slippery as they caressed what little I let make contact with the bed. My expression must have been strange as Luna suddenly arched an eyebrow in question. Even without a response, she set the thought aside, centred herself with a calming breath, then began to speak.

“Thou had no need of apology,” Luna said. “Although unintended, we can see thy act was beneficial.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I had been holding and my muscles began to release the tension which had gripped them. My whole body flopped but I caught myself before crashing face first into the bedding. Even if the feel of the sheets was oh so very enticing.

“It has pained us to know, now that we are together once more, thy no longer need us for so many things,” Luna stated. “To have been forced apart from thy life, losing all chance to see thee learn and grow into the mare thou hast become, it hast been an agony bordering on torture.”

My head dropped at her words. Even though I was so removed from remembering the time of being her daughter, the pain she spoke with and which gripped her eyes, face and soul engulfed me. It wrapped around my heart and throat then squeezed until I curled in on myself.

Then I felt it. Beneath my chin. It was a soft touch, but one which brought me back to the confrontation. Opening my eye, I glimpsed the thick flight feathers, deepest blue, stretched out to gently lift my chin. Following their guidance, my eye met hers. Luna was so close to me. Smiling a weak, sorrowful smile. She raised her other wing and gently brushed my fringe aside, exposing my damaged eye.

She didn’t flinch or recoil at the sight. Instead, a single tear slipped free and down her cheek. Her focus, though, was on me. Her smile and gaze were just as soft as the feathers of her wings. And, as she spoke, it felt like she was cradling me with her voice and words even as she slipped out of her archaic dialect.

“Selene,” she said. “Monochrome. Whichever name you prefer. Know that I love you. Know that I have always loved you. Even in my confinement, when tormented by that creature, my mind was on you. Were you safe? Were you well? Had you grown into a better mare than I?”

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. “For when I returned and you were not there, I was heartbroken. I thought you were forever lost to a time long ago. For you to stand before me that day in the hospital, to see you once more. Alive. It was like I felt my heart ready to burst with joy. You were not lost after all. Then, seeing your injuries—”

Luna clenched her teeth and screwed up her face in anguish. “I knew I had failed you. In that moment, I wanted to bring about justice for your pain as much as I wanted to hold you and protect you from further harm. A mother’s desires, I understand. But, to hear how you no longer remembered this world, my love, or even your name… my hopes and heart were torn again.”

She sighed. Her breath gently rippled my facial fur and mane. “Seeing your memories, they at least brought understanding. But, they didn’t ease my pain. Seeing all you went through, my being a silent witness who couldn’t intercede, it brought back so many memories of my confinement. Of my desire just to help and guide your path.

“Your Aunt wasn’t wrong when she said you have a good soul. What I have seen you do for the crippled and the maimed of our Equestrian population, it makes my heart soar. You are beautiful in form and wondrous of heart. So giving, freely, of yourself. You may not believe it, but you inspire so many through your actions and deeds. Those who know of you strive to make themselves better, even as you have against your own limitations.

“It hurts me to know, this could be the last time I ever get to gaze into your eyes and know that you can see me in return. Just know, whatever results may come of the surgeries you will soon undertake, I and many others love you. We love you just for you being you.”

With that, Luna fell silent. Her head drooped and her eyes remained closed as tears slipped free to dampen her cheeks in thin silvery streaks. I studied her, squinting as usual. I idly wondered if I would need to ever again after the procedure. I brushed that thought aside and focused on Luna.

After listening to her, I could definitely say I understood her reactions to my presence. Time has never been kind to anyone. Clearly those who are magically immune to its grip of entropy and decay were still susceptible to its grasp upon the heart, mind and soul. For Luna, it was the lost chances of love for a daughter she left behind long ago.

For me, the toll was my memories. Every moment I had spent with her and upon this world before leaving had been denied me. As had much of the time I had spent living amongst humans, as one of them. Already, that felt so long ago. Knowing what I did now did little to help in coming to terms with myself. Was I Monochrome or Selene? I had mentally debated this before.

Clearly, to the ponies here, I was Selene. I know why. It made sense. But Monochrome couldn’t just be swept aside, there was too much of him still within me to let go. Instead, I was a mix of the two. Whatever the outcome, it didn’t actually matter now. I was me. An orphan of one world with a mare of this one so willing to accept me as her own. A mother. It was something I could never remember having before. Maybe I could give it a chance?

I leaned forward. It wasn’t much of a movement considering how Luna still held me, but it was enough to slip my head beneath hers and press my cheek to her neck. I felt her stiffen momentarily at my change of position. Apparently, she wasn’t expecting me to move. It soon passed and I heard her let out a contented sigh. I felt her melt around me, wrapping my body in her wings and front legs even as her head came to rest against my neck.

“If you can give me time,” I said, risking the nature of our embrace by broaching a topic which remained in the corner of my mind. “I would be glad for us to get to know each other again. There is just something I need to finish first.”

Luna sighed and I swear I could feel the joy and love growing within her. “If that is what you need, then time is what you shall have.”

We sat together for several minutes, just drinking in the presence of each other. Mother and daughter. This was our moment. It was our time. Eventually, though, we had to break our hold. Luna had to prepare for her nightly duty and I still had things to do in readiness for my big day.

My eye snapped open as a thought struck me. I doubt Luna noticed. Pulling back, I had to ask, “Can I also ask a favour?”

Luna smiled warmly and gave a small nod. “You need but ask.”

“Before I came to Equestria, I was helping Aria search for her sisters. We hadn’t got far when we fell from the human world,” I explained. “Considering Twilight Sparkle’s distaste for Aria, I doubt she will agree, but I think she may have a better idea of where they are than we did. I—”

Luna cut me off. “I have seen much in her dreams. I cannot say it ever showed the three you refer to in the greatest of lights.”

My brow furrowed. “Aria’s personality may be an acquired taste and her methods unusual, but she has been nothing other than a friend to me. I was hoping to grant her wish if possible.”

Luna frowned with concern. “I cannot say it is the greatest idea. These Sirens were not sent into exile without good reason. Their magic—”

It was my turn to interject. “If they are in the same state as Aria, their magic is no longer a threat.”

By her expression, Luna remained unconvinced.

I pushed a little further. “I also hear reformation isn’t uncommon here.”

Luna’s head dropped. I quickly moved to hug her and, being careful of our horns, pressed our foreheads together. “Sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“It is okay, daughter mine,” Luna said. She gave a sigh. “If it is what you wish, I will see to it Twilight is instructed.”

I hugged her as tightly as I could. With only one foreleg it was far from being as bone-crushing as any Luna had bestowed upon me. “Thank you.”

She returned my hug. “You are most welcome.”