Author's Note

This episode will focus on the royal sisters. I've always wondered why Luna hasn't appeared in any other episode during Season 1. My headcanon was that she had to recover during the first season of the show, but we still didn't get an episode centered around Luna after the two-parter.

Settling in with the Contemporary Era

A week passed since the new Element bearers released Celestia from Daybreaker. Despite her exhaustion, she had considered taking on diurnal duties within the next few days. Her powers hadn't completely returned, as the corruption stole half her strength. Being gone for a thousand years didn't help matters, as her speech pattern confused the ponies in this century. The Royal We worked a thousand years ago, so why was it uncommon nowadays? She was unfamiliar with modern slang and odd phrases, which got her into some awkward conversations. The sun broke through the pale white clouds. She stood on the balcony, taking in the crisp winter air. She heard a knock on the door.

"Thou shall join us," Celestia said.

The hoofsteps approached. Luna stared at the sky. "Wonderful morning, isn't it? Only you can make a day in winter extra beautiful."

Celestia mumbled under her breath. After what she did, somepony still enjoyed the sunlight? She thought her sister didn't appreciate the sunlight, yet it was probably just an assumption. "What hath we done to receive thy forgiveness, dear sister? We doth not understand."

"Tia, nopony talks like this anymore."

"Why don't they use the Royal We?"

"The Old Equuish dialect is outdated."

"My apologies. It will take me a while to adjust." Celestia observed the vast land. "I can't make friends because the ponies are frightened of me."

Luna nodded as she listened. "Is it the reason you left the dining hall upon Cadance's arrival?"

"It's not the issue." Celestia shook her head. "I mean, it is, but the contemporary era isn't the same as the pre-classical era. Did I hurt Cadance's feelings by storming off?"

Luna draped a wing over Celestia's back, and the elder alicorn tensed. "Cadance was perplexed, not upset. Is the public opinion of you what bothers you the most?"

"Their ancestors adored me. It's understandable if the ponies want to cool off in the shades during summer. However, the sunlight gives life to the crops."

"I once struggled with feelings of jealousy. This emotion, if left unsolved, can rise to something destructive. I overcame my jealousy when I realized that it wasn't worth my energy and my time. I'm not saying that you feel a similar way. I'm here for you if you want to talk."

"How can you tell if I am?!" Celestia snapped. She unfurled her wings and soared across the sky. "I'm older, therefore I'm not even the tiniest bit jealous!"

Luna followed Celestia to the courtyard. The elder alicorn didn't look at her. As much as she had to return to her royal duties, she couldn't leave her sister alone. Celestia wasn't the only one who struggled with guilt. If she had found a way past Daybreaker's barrier into Celestia's dream before the banishment, they wouldn't have this conversation today. In a way, she blamed herself. She didn't want to lose her sister a second time.

"I had no other choice," Luna said. Tears ran down her cheeks. The wound was still fresh in her heart. "I hoped the Elements would save you. Instead..." Her voice caught in her throat. "I lost you for a thousand years. I had to deal with social anxiety for quite a while, and it wasn't easy. It's difficult without you."

Celestia turned to face Luna. "Excuse my outburst. All the words I've said to you prior to my exile were a product of Daybreaker's lies. Even after the Elements released me, a part of her lingers in my psyche. I still had those evil thoughts. The nightmares... they're not gone."

"Evil thoughts? You have been freed from Daybreaker. The remorse shows that you're on the path to redemption. Even when you've told me awful things before the exile, I knew something wasn't right. Daybreaker was responsible for your descent into darkness. If I had listened more-"

"Don't blame yourself. It is I who is to blame." Celestia ran a hoof over the grass. "I allowed myself to believe Daybreaker's dishonesty."

"We both made mistakes. Nopony is perfect."

"My actions were worse. I have no desire to hurt Equestria ever again."

Luna hugged Celestia. "What happens in the past stays in the past."

Celestia sniffled. "Alright. I'll start over with Cadance."

The royal sisters returned to the dining hall, where they had left Cadance. Celestia didn't expect Cadance to wait for them. The servants arranged the plates on the grand table. The aroma of coffee, tea, and pancakes penetrated the air. Celestia sat by the window, while Luna sat by the door. Cadance sat in the middle. Silence settled between Celestia and Cadance. What was there to say? Would the Royal We confuse Cadance, too?

"Cadance, forgive us for our sudden departure," Celestia said. "We art not furious at thou."

"An apology isn't necessary. Luna told me about you," Cadance replied.

Celestia poured the tea into her mug, then gobbled the pancakes. How much did Cadance know? She was sure that Cadance heard the rumors about Daybreaker's vengeance. Why didn't Cadance seem afraid of her? Wasn't the pink alicorn nervous? If Cadance wanted to mention Daybreaker, she should be aware that it was a sensitive topic, and that she should tread lightly.

"Have I said something wrong?" Cadance asked.

"No. Thou art... I mean, you're fine," Celestia replied. It would take a while to learn the modern dialect. She gazed at the window.

"I know some Old Equuish." Cadance sipped her tea. "I once studied the pre-classical era in history class."

Celestia's eyes met Luna's. "What changed in my absence?"

Luna shrugged. "It's been a long time, and if I told you all the details, it would take all day. Equestria changed a lot since then."

"Why wasn't the old castle rebuilt?"

"It reminded me of the day I banished you."

"It makes sense, considering." Celestia rose from her seat. "I'll oversee Day Court. You need a break."

"I don't mind a break from the schedule," Luna said.

After breakfast, Celestia trotted to the throne room. There were stained glass windows with lunar phases and meteor showers. Violet tapestries hung from the ceiling. On top of Luna's throne stood a miniature moon. The only thing missing was a solar throne. If she sat on Luna's throne, the ponies would speculate. The nobles gave her a wary glance. She sat on the steps. A unicorn with blonde hair and a white coat came forward.

"Ah, if it isn't the evil solar princess," the stallion said.

"We art not Daybreaker," Celestia replied. "We art Celestia, the older sister of Princess Luna."

"You're the mare who threatened to overthrow Princess Luna. No wonder ponies are terrified of your existence. Do us a favor and get lost."

"A wicked mare no longer, we shall right our wrongs."

The stallion grimaced. "It doesn't matter. I don't care if my personal guards get arrested for attacking royalty." He walked out of the throne room.

What a way to start the day, Celestia thought. She did expect somepony to confront her for her misdeeds. Kibitz, one of the royal advisors, approached the steps. Instead of bowing, his gaze wandered to Luna's throne. When they had met, he made it no secret that he wouldn't tolerate a former tyrant. Even if he managed to conceal his disgust, she could see through his stoic facade. She grabbed the list from his magical aura. The advisor let out an exasperated sigh.

"Princess Celestia, or Daybreaker-" Kibitz began.

"Tis Celestia," Celestia interrupted.

"Don't interrupt. Princess Luna allows me to finish what I'm saying, especially if it's unpleasant. I heard Prince Blueblood calling you out for your crimes."

"What we did is in the past." Celestia stood tall. "For a day, Luna will allow us to deal with diurnal responsibilities."

"Of course. She explained this to me earlier. Why do you refer to yourself in an outdated manner, though? Several ponies will request an audience. I doubt you'll offer those ponies some sound advice. Princess Luna has more wisdom, and-"

"Tis the Royal We, sir Kibitz. Their ancestors once requested our advice more often."

"If you perform your duties poorly, Luna will know. As I've stated, I don't tolerate tyrants."

Celestia clenched her jaw. If Kibitz had the gall to talk to her like this, she wasn't sure if she could handle being criticized all day for every flaw. Her former advisors from the pre-classical era never pointed out her mistakes. He shouldn't expect her to be perfect. She knew Luna wasn't perfect, yet the ponies viewed her as a flawless role model. And Luna warned her about jealousy. If she resorted to her old ways, nopony would ever forgive her a second time. She suppressed her emotions and wore a pleasant grin.

"Your smile is too wide. It can frighten the ponies," Kibitz said.

Celestia rolled her eyes. The advisor left the throne room. Why couldn't he just forget the past? She didn't like being compared to her sister. Still, she couldn't blame the citizens of Equestria for fearing her. When she inherited the throne in her youth, it wasn't the case. A group of ponies galloped toward the throne. The moment they noticed her, they froze. Their faces were a mix of curiosity and fear.

"We expected Princess Luna's presence instead of yours," a unicorn said.

"We art overseeing Day Court. What's the issue?" Celestia replied.

"The FlimFlam brothers stole my paintings and sold them at a local art show."

"We shall find the FlimFlam brothers. Where hast thou last seen them?"

Another pony stepped forward, then bowed. "Their situation is trivial. Mine is worse. The debt is impossible, and I could lose my home. The same already happened to my neighbors."

The problems sounded more trivial than Celestia expected. She was used to dealing with politics and foreign ambassadors. After an hour of listening to ponies, she scrutinized her list. Not only were there mentions of the FlimFlam brothers, there were also property disputes and requests to make public appearances. Since the commoners weren't familiar with the Royal We, the ponies misinterpreted her words to mean something malicious. As a result, half of them avoided her. At one point, she used the Royal Canterlot Voice on a whiny noble.

A long day of diurnal duties had drained much of Celestia's energy by the time she fulfilled the responsibilities. She occupied a bench in the courtyard, gazing at the sunset. At times, she wondered if it was a dream. The banishment was lonely. There had been nopony to talk to, save for Daybreaker. Even the smallest observation of the sun reminded her of the exile. Would she find it in her heart to forgive herself? It was too soon to tell. When her sister was born, she promised to protect her. She had broken the promise by transforming into Daybreaker and attempting to destroy Luna.

Did Celestia deserve a second chance? The sun seemed to mock her remorse. She summoned her magic and attempted to lower the sun. Was she making any progress in her redemption? Today, she had wavered between the Royal We and the modern dialect. Had she taken more than she could handle? Was it the reason behind her fatigue? She walked into the castle.

A guard hesitated in midstep. "Daybreaker- I mean, Celestia... or whatever you call yourself. Why aren't you punished for your crimes?"

"Because I apologized to Luna. Also, I'm Celestia, not Daybreaker," Celestia replied.

"Fine. Our princess doesn't need a tyrant to rule by her side. She's more benevolent than you'll ever be. I won't waste my time talking to you."

The guard stormed out of the hallway and slammed the door behind him. Didn't he see the difference between Celestia and Daybreaker? She didn't threaten him, so why did he hold a grudge? She didn't know whether to blame herself or Daybreaker, yet a small part of her resented Luna for the banishment. She raced to her room. Thoughts of revenge wormed into her mind. She caught her reflection in the mirror. Should she use a time-travel spell to fix her mistakes? Transforming into Daybreaker had forever affected her life. Her horn glowed. However, she couldn't bring herself to reverse time. If she did alter history, how would the contemporary era turn out in another time? The bedroom door swung open, which interrupted her contemplation.

"Tia, how was your day?" Luna asked.

Tears streamed down Celestia's face. "It was awful! I tried hard to be a better ruler, but all they could focus on was Daybreaker! The fact that Kibitz hates me doesn't help matters. Apparently my exile was his favorite topic. What do they expect me to do, stay on the sun for the rest of my life?" She removed her crown, then approached the window.

"I thought I told Kibitz to be nice. Guess he didn't get the message. Can you tell me more details?"

Celestia stared at the floor. She muttered a few choice words. "The ponies have every right to hate me. I'm the worst."

Luna's heart shattered. She pulled Celestia into an embrace. "No, you're not. Your past was the main topic in our recent conversations. It's time to move on. I don't know what it's like to have your body possessed against your will, to have your mind corrupted by your dark side, and to be isolated. But you can't focus on your actions. In several centuries, the ponies won't remember Daybreaker."

"How long did it take for their ancestors to forget me?" Celestia made eye contact. There was a hint of bitterness in her voice. "One decade or less?"

"As far as I can recall, not all of them forgot you."

Celestia scrutinized her crown. Did she deserve to remain a princess? "I'm aware that we had friends in the pre-classical era. They would fear Daybreaker, too."

"Even when you were banished, they saw the good in you."

Celestia opened her mouth to speak, yet no words came out. Instead, she made her way toward the door. She didn't view herself as a good pony. It might have been the case in her youth, but Daybreaker changed everything. On the other hoof, her sister never became evil. It wasn't that Luna was perfect. As sisters, they had their ups and downs. She recalled the lullaby she had heard during her exile. She turned her attention to Luna.

"When you were younger, I sang to you each night. And in my absence, you sang to me," Celestia said.

"It is intended to comfort you," Luna replied.

"I know."

The lyrics replayed in Celestia's mind. At first, her response had a tinge of resentfulness, as Daybreaker had taken over her mind and body. Later on, her soliloquy became less bitter. She wiped a single tear from her cheek, then climbed onto her bed. As she closed her eyes, the hoofsteps moved toward her side. She was aware of Luna levitating the blanket across her body.

"Goodnight, dear sister," Luna whispered.

By the time the wee hours arrived, Luna heard a distinctive scream while navigating a corridor. She had just finished helping several foals with their nightmares. Did she overlook a specific dream? She followed the sound to Celestia's room. Sure enough, the elder alicorn had awakened. She rushed to Celestia's side and hugged her. It was obvious that Celestia had a nightmare.

"Are you alright, sis?" Luna asked.

"Yes. Just a nightmare," Celestia said.

"What happened in the dream?"

"I transformed into Daybreaker and trapped Equestria in eternal daylight. You were trapped in the sun."

"It's just a dream. You're not Daybreaker. The Elements of Harmony had already purged you of Daybreaker's wickedness. I know who you truly are, and you're not a wicked mare. Instead, you're a benevolent mare with a rough past. Can I stay in here for a minute?"

Celestia shrugged. "Isn't your nocturnal duty more important? You did rule alone for a thousand years. Somepony probably has a nightmare right now."

Luna sat next to Celestia. "Nopony else had a nightmare. We still have four hours before sunrise. May your dreams be sweet."

The last sentence reminded Celestia of the lullaby. She never wanted to be separated from her sister again. She rested her head against the pillow and closed her eyes. The rain tapped the window. Time seemed to slow down. Her sister hummed a song from their youth. It was the lullaby she once sang to Luna when the nocturnal alicorn was a small filly. Soon, sleep took hold, and she drifted to dreamland. Images danced in her vision. Instead of her nightmare, she saw a glimpse of the past. It was odd, considering that the memories of their foalhood were buried beneath the recent memories. An open field materialized before her.

A younger version of the two sisters frolicked by the edge of the forest. A wave of nostalgia overwhelmed Celestia's heart. They were so innocent back then, yet the unexpected events had changed their lives. The arrival of a younger Discord surprised her. Oh, they used to be friends. However, he had more fun with Luna, as she didn't mind causing mischief from time to time.

Luna had been devastated one day when Discord betrayed the royal sisters. Celestia grimaced at the thought. If the draconequus ever hurt Luna again, he was toast. Flames billowed around the dancing images. She focused on memories that wouldn't infuriate her. Visions of forgotten moments materialized. Some depicted her singing to Luna. One of them stood out to her. The lyrics accompanied the fiery image. Luna's voice had eased her mind during centuries of isolation.

Remember who you truly are, dear sister;
A bright and shining star...
Please come back to me,
and forgive me for being so blind...

A sense of guilt prickled Celestia's heart. She could hear the tears in Luna's voice. Other than the typical quarrel, the younger alicorn never intended to harm her. Yet she allowed mistrust and fear to fester in her heart, then lashed out at Luna. She wouldn't forget the pain and sadness in Luna's eyes. Once the scenery transformed into the old castle, she detected Daybreaker's armor. Sunlight penetrated the room, and she retrieved the helmet - not to equip herself, but to satisfy her curiosity. She sensed Daybreaker's magic. The mare wasn't anywhere to be found. She had a choice; look beyond her past and seek a brighter future, or abandon the path of redemption. The former made more sense than the second one. And she swore to avoid making the same mistake that resulted in a thousand-year exile.

The sun began its ascent into the sky, chasing away the coldness of a winter night. An explosion of colors penetrated the horizon - gold, scarlet, coral, and lavender. Celestia summoned her magic to move the sun higher. The effort drained the energy from her body. Her breath came in gasps. Daybreaker had stolen half her magic while she was corrupted. It would take a year for an alicorn to regain one's power. A frigid breeze rippled through her mane.

"How did you sleep?" Luna asked.

"I slept well," Celestia said.

"Just as I thought." Luna smiled. "Did you know what the helmet symbolizes?"

"The past." Celestia's eyes were fixated on the sunrise. "Daybreaker isn't my true identity."

"You will always be my sister. Daybreaker will never change that, as she's a manifestation of fear and mistrust."

Celestia nodded. What her sister said was true. She might not be able to take back the thousand years, but it was Daybreaker who attempted to divide the royal sisters. The reunion of the two sisters wasn't part of Daybreaker's plan, which was why the mare of flames hoped to win against the heroines of Equestria. What would the future hold for her, now that she had returned to Equestria after being released from Daybreaker's magic?