The Stars Are Gone

by TheDriderPony

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Celestia, Alternate Universe, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Comedy
Length: 1300

Luna confronts Celestia about a discrepancy she's noticed since her return to Equestria.

Luna has found that many things have changed since she was banished. Technology, culture, even cuisine had grown and advanced far beyond what she could have imagined back in the old days.

But there's one thing that she always thought would remain constant, and yet it seems to have changed the most.

Who better to ask about it that the one pony to have lived through years of change?

But can she handle the answer?

***

Full disclosure: this was my entry into the Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Competition. Though I do admit that I went back and expanded it and did some editing between the contest ending and when I posted it.

Published 2019-08-18 23:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-08-18 23:40:01 UTC

Consumed

"Sister?"

Celestia looked up from her pile of paperwork. Reorganizing the government to accommodate two rulers was a considerable task, but one she'd prepared for. Still, a short break wouldn't hurt.

"Yes, Luna?" She greeted with a warm smile.

The smaller mare nosed the door open, her magic still drained from being cleansed by the Elements of Harmony. "Wouldst thou happen to have a moment of thy time to spare?"

"For you? Always. Please, come in." Celestia rose from her writing desk and moved to the lounge by the fireplace, which was far more suited for casual conversation. Luna entered the room and soon sat across from her.

The younger princess squirmed in her seat for a moment, still unused to her decreased size, before settling. Celestia noticed that despite the steadiness of her voice, her sister's body language radiated nervousness.

"Sister," she began, "We were hoping that, if permissible, We may be allowed to ask of thee a question."

Celestia arched a brow. This was earlier than she'd anticipated (she hadn't even completed the 'Welcome to the New Millenia" orientation packet yet), but not a problem. Of course Luna would have questions what with how much the world had changed. She nodded. "Of course. You can ask me anything you want. I'm here to help."

For some reason, the assurance only seemed to make Luna even more nervous. She began to twirl a lock of her tail with her hooves, something she hadn't done since the two of them were fillies. "We were wondering... rather, We know that much may have changed in the years since Our banishment and, of course, would not wish to seem as though We were attempting to ascribe blame or make some accusation on your part whether malicious or through forced circumstance... verily though the matter may be some portent of natural cause outside the realm of our ken, though rather-"

"Luna," Celestia interrupted with a nostalgic titter, "This isn't a debate in the old High Courts. There is no need for such formal language between us. Whatever mistakes we have made in the past, we are sisters." Despite her words, she found herself taking up a more classical elocution, if only to put her sister at ease with some familiarity. "Please, speak freely."

She nodded, took a deep breath, and steeled her resolve. "Celestia," she asked, her voice firm and unwavering, "Where are My stars?"

Celestia's smile froze, as did all the blood in her veins. Not that. It was too soon! She wasn't ready. "Wha- wha- what stars?" she stuttered, suddenly finding everything in the room much more interesting to look at than her sister's judging eyes. "They're all there, right in the sky. Right where you left them."

"Nay," Her reply was immediate, "Our memory is perfect, and Our memory of Our creations even more so. When We were banished, there wert twice, nay, thrice as many stars in Our night sky then art today. What happened?"

Sweat beaded on Celestia's brow and began to run down her temple in a way she found particularly conspicuous. Her mind began to race, a thousand years worth of skills in political maneuvering whirring away to craft the perfect cocktail of deflection, excuse, and justification.

Then she stopped.

What was she doing?

Lying to her sister? Hiding the truth? Again?

Had the long years made her forget? Wasn't it exactly this behavior that had driven Luna to such a dark place as to cause her corruption? Well no more! This was a new era, and she was a new mare. There would be no more lies. Luna would have the truth, and she would bear with the consequences.

Celestia steeled her mind and attempted to expel some of the tension from her voice. "The truth... the truth is... Oh, Luna, I ate them!" Like a dam bursting through, a thousand years of pent up guilt came pouring forth all at once. "I tried to stop myself, but have you ever tried your stars? They're out of this world!"

Luna blinked wordlessly for a moment as she tried to process this. "Prithee, Sister... what?!"

"Oh, I had such good intentions at first," Celestia continued with her emotional outpouring, "With you gone I had to move the moon with my own power, yet it wouldn't respond. But your stars, they were all simply brimming with your power. So I flew up, just to borrow a little; just enough for the moon to respond. But then I tried one, and the taste, oh the taste!" She flung out her forelegs in wild gesticulations. "Luna, there's nothing like them! The succulent sweetness that coats your mouth, muddled with a biting acidity that tingles the senses! And the soft burn as it glides down your throat, oh it's to die for! Luna, your stars are like bite-sized ambrosia!"

Luna was at a loss for words.

Her confession made, the supposedly more calm-minded princess started to come down from her high level of energy. "I... admit I fell to temptation. Equestria lost six constellations in the span of a year before I learned to control myself. Now I restrict myself to no more than one per month, just enough to power the lunar cycle." She hung her head, shame radiating off her like steam. "Which, I suppose, is also a job you'll be taking back, so I'll have no more excuse. I am sorry, Luna, truly."

They sat for nearly a full minute in silence before Luna spoke. "We are..." she coughed, "I am, not angry with you. Disappointed? Yes. Irritated? Most certainly." She huffed in annoyance. "It shall take me quite an effort to make more to replace the ones you have- eep!"

Lune yelped as her entire field of view became her sister's impossibly close face. "You can make more?! You make them?"

"Y-Yes, Sister. They are but magic and moondust passed through a baking process of Mine Own device."

Now it was Celestia's turn to freeze in revelation as her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Wait... Luna, are you saying that the moon is made of delicious stars?"

"In honesty, it is the reverse but-"

But her reply was cut short by the high-pitched squeal that would have been more appropriate coming from a crushing filly than a thousand-year-old monarch. "The moon! The whole moon is one enormous and tasty star! I can't believe it!"

"Nor can I," Luna muttered, "Though, to speak truth... there have been times from which I have supped from your Sun as well."

The sobering effect of such a statement was impressive as Celestia immediately refocused. "You can eat the sun?"

"Drink, more like. Tis like a hearty soup, brimming with spice." The lunar princess grinned, a cheeky thing the likes of which Celestia had not seen since her return. "It seems we are perhaps both at fault. In lieu of official reparations, mayhaps we could come to some sort of... arrangement?"

Celestia paused, then returned her sister's mischevious grin. "Oh, I think we can manage something alright. Though we'll need something to tell the citizens..."

Equestria Weekly Chronicle

According to scientific and magical experts, the recently introduced cycle of lunar waxing and waning is the result of Princess Luna reviving an ancient tradition lost during the course of her banishment. The effect of the moon diminishing is merely a magical illusion meant to act as a nationwide date-keeping system. The moon does not, despite some wild rumors, actually become destroyed and remade over the course of a month.

An official statement from the palace has also verified that this has nothing to do with the reports of crumbs falling over central Equestria, nor how the sun may appear to become smaller during the winter months.