I could not be prouder.

by Booker Dewitt

Rating: everyone
Tags: Sad
Length: 1448

I've stood watch over you as you've changed.
And i must say. You've grown to be a fine unicorn. And i am proud of you.
But as you have aged. So have I. And i'm not as young as i was. Not at all.

Princess Celestia has not seen her protige in a very long time indeed. And the time of her and her sisters passing has crept upon her without her realisation. Or anyone else's. Her time has come to a close.
But it is popular opinion that everyone should at least get the chance to make things right before it is too late.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-12-29 07:00:01 UTC

One million branches.

Oh, the look of confusion on the faces of her royal guards, when upon being asked if she required anything, the answer was: a desk, a roll of parchment, three quills, five pots of ink and the day to herself,

Princess Celestia stood on her balcony, overlooking the unkempt palace gardens. Having spent the whole day mulling over everything she could think of in her last one thousand and eighty two years, two hundred and fourteen days, seven hours, twelve minutes and eighteen seconds, and counting, she'd come to the conclusion that perhaps she should write to Twilight Sparkle again, as it would be nice to think the purple unicorn would like to hear from her after her marriage with the esteemed Big Macintosh, a member of the Apple Family, if she recalled correctly, she vaguely remembered Twilight mentioning it in a letter sent to her earlier that year.

She'd also come to the conclusion that she had a rather astonishingly good memory.

Unfortunately Celestia hadn't been able to attend said wedding, as her sister had gotten a little overzealous, trying to set a romantic theme by shifting the moon directly behind the couple and moving it closer to them during the "I Do" kiss. Typically Luna, of course, unfortunately this had required both her and Celestia to keep the balance, either to stop a tidal wave from crashing over Equestria, or to simply stop the moon crashing into it all together.

'Do it now, Think about it later.'

However, it had looked marvelous, the headache and overall body pain had only lasted four days, which was worth it as this was not just anyone's wedding. Celestia and Luna had wanted to make it special for her, as a friend that had the ability to do that kind of thing.

Thinking about it, in retrospect, it might have been a tad "more special" if she'd turned up.

In the end, Twilight hadn't even noticed the engorged moon, and all that had happened was that Twilight was upset that Celestia and her sister hadn't attended, and shortly after a large letter proclaiming her disappointment, they lost frequent contact.

Princess Celestia sat down in front of her new desk that she requested to be placed at the foot of her bed, facing away. This gave her a calming and lovely view out of the open balcony door that was at the back of her chambers. As her horn ignited with a fluorescent pink aura, her first quill and bottle of ink floated over effortlessly, to rest next to her parchment at the desks edge, she smiled, and as the quill began to flow across the scroll.

No.

Celestia screwed up her paper, and then placed down the quill, and with a bit more of a concentrated surge of magic the paper was incinerated.

Celestia stood up; this was not the frame of mind she needed when writing such an important letter, not at all.

"Something troubles you again."

She smiled. “Yes."

Celestia turned towards her sister, who stood in the doorway to her chambers. She had lost the regal wear. Neither of them had slept in days, too many important matters at hand, too many things forgotten.

“‘It’s too soon.'” Luna laughed, reading her like a scripture "Well of course it is too soon, when is too soon not so, sister? Could you name me a time?

The bluntness of her words surprised Celestia, "Of course i could not. But this does not alter the fact that it is still too soon. I have more to do in life-"

"Well of course you have more to do in life. Who does not? It is easy to spill needless tears over something that you have lost the chance to succeed in, but how many individuals can reflect and smile over the good they have already done? It is simple to think of every way you are a failure. But the ability to search for and locate every way you have improved the life of others, or just achieved something brilliant is a rarity in all individuals. Nearly all of us would readily accept the many millions of ways we are not good enough. But as a race we are not ready to acknowledge that perhaps we have done enough to redeem ourselves and our flaws."

"It’s not enough"

"Hah!" Luna turned away from her elder sister, "If one of either of us should be allowed to complain over not being able to achieve enough during our life, I for one don't personally think it should be you, Celestia."

Falter.

A solitary tear dripped to the floor. Where it landed, it evaporated in a wisp of lilac smoke. "I... Did not mean that... I apologize. I know how much it h-hurt you to send me away, I-I know it still hurts you now, I'm... I'm sorry."

"We… We must not let what is past detra-detrament what is to come... We must embrace this chance at a-" Princess Luna's eyes glazed over as she attempted to recite from her memory "...At a new start, and continue on without looking back at the mistakes we have rectified, or… or they will ruin us."

She focused and looked back at her sister, eagerness in her eyes, reminding Celestia of when she was younger, always looking to her for approval. The younger, unconfident foal shining through her sisters mask. "That-That's what you said isn't it? That's right? That's what you said to me when the Elements saved me from myself. That's what you said!"

It is said to be an extreme rarity that twins will pass on on the same day. Such cases are only apparent when the twins in question share such an incredibly strong bond that they also share a telepathic connection. The mind of one senses the ageing depression of another, and ages in turn, causing them both to perish in synchronization.

The princess of Equestria and guardian of the sun rolled back on her haunches. Her sister ran towards her, stopping just in front of her and dropping to the floor, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm so sorry- Please...Say something!"

A single tear rolled down a white cheek. It dripped to the floor. "I'm afraid I must ask too much of you, Luna."

Celestia smiled, almost a strained smile.

"I must ask for your forgiveness, Sister."

It is also said that Sisters share the strongest bond of all family relationships. They fight, argue, and steal each other’s things, but after all of the hate have passed, they remain sisters, and nothing can ever compare or come between. Attempt to, and you'll be torn apart limb from limb.

The princess of the night faltered, looking straight forward, and her pupils contracted as she registered what had been said. "I don't understand." Her ears flattened, she turned away, walking slowly back to the balcony, to once again stare out into the yard.

"We must not let what is past detriment what is to come, Celestia. You have always had my forgiveness,"

"since the day the Elements of Harmony freed me from my former self and you accepted me back into your hooves, back into your castle, and back into your life."

The princess of the sun smiled at the ground once again, her tears dripped ran down the support beams on the balcony banister, onto the ground below.

Where they landed, small flowers of multiple colours burst forth out of the ground, new life from the damaged and unkept garden, blessing a small patch just underneath the balcony with new efflorescence.

Luna walked slowly forward, her confidence increasing by the step. “And what's more? You showed a trust I had not anticipated, expected or deserved. You let me once again resume control of the moon, I had not expected such an honour from you, and I had not deserved such an honour from you. And it means so much to me."

Celestia looked back at her sister, who trotted forwards to stand level with her; they both looked over the balcony into the ravaged garden, The growing patch of flowers, the only sign of life in any part of the neglected and faded courtyard, shone with an unreal beauty as the sun drew level with the horizon.

She turned to her younger sister, and embraced her, “I will treasure this,"

The desk sat in front of her bed, drawing her gaze from the corner of her eye. "I'm afraid i have a letter to write."

Luna broke contact, raising her eyebrows "No you do not."

Their eyes met once again, she understood. "No. I do not"