Figuratively and Literally
Luna had been many things in her long lifetime. A ruler, villain, sister, and now a worm on a string. She connected with the predicament, strangely enough. The fate she had, hopefully not for long, been contained to was an interesting metaphor for her life. She knew as she hung from the string that Discord was playing a prank on her. A game they had around the castle behind Tia's back had resulted so. But really, what was life, but a connection of strings.
She had been strung along as a filly, always following around Tia. She did everything to see results that would catch her sister's eye. Anything and everything was to be recognized, no matter how little the reward. Head-pats were a commodity and praise was handed out like tickets to the Royal Canterlot fashion show. Luna showed new, groundbreaking spells, told tall tales of monsters fought in the dream realm, and took on extra chores for the kingdom just to see a smile from Celestia.
The string strung tight occasionally, while Luna was ignored for whatever important matters Celestia could come up with at the time. She said it was politics that caused the initial strain on their relationship. But Luna knew that Tia welcomed the distractions. Too afraid to confront a sister that was becoming more and more enveloped by the night. Come later, Luna recalled the night she was truly the reason for Celestia leaving her. The night she became Nightmare Moon was the most free she had felt up to the point, but also somewhat trapped by the overwhelming need to be caught and put back on track. Her string had been cut, freedom was in her grasp. But was it so bad being connected to her sister, did it really cost her enough to put that debt on the kingdom and her fellow ruler?
Nightmare Moon was the next string that wrapped around Luna, with choking tightness it controlled her. She went from one string, a long one with little constraints, to what was essentially the excess of a tied knot. Her freedom was a front, and Luna regretted it once she had time to think in the moon. The string now wrapped her like a spider's web, trapping her in the one place she knew the most. It was lonely, cold, and gave her time to think.
Eventually, the tight string untangled and she returned to life in the kingdom, once again next to her sister. Luna could practically see the tightened string that held her and Tia together. Celestia wasn't going to let Luna out of her sight, there was going to be no room to make the same mistake twice. The string lengthened as weeks turned into months, and years as she found that Luna really was reformed. The effort to reconcile was noticeable from Celestia, and like a sweater stuck on a door handle, the string unraveled quickly soon after. For the first time in her life, Luna could feel no string attached to her.
The Elements of Harmony had given her a second chance with her sister, effectively cutting any constraining string that held her back. Luna was prepared to spend the rest of her life showing her sister that she wasn't putting on any fronts. Her care and kindness was genuine. So, when Discord came along, she found someone that was in similar straights. Discord created chaos to be seen, to be noticed and recognized no matter how his reputation was affected. Luna was determined to show him the hard lessons she had to learn without the hardships. Their D and D group with some fellow Equestrians in Ponyville allowed her to do this somewhat, having talks with him while they set up.
However, the real progress in their relationship came about from their pranks in the castle. Thus the predicament Luna was currently in. She didn't mind it in all honesty, if nothing happened to change her back in the immediate future everything would be handled by Tia. She trusted her sister to continue the movement of the moon, not that she wanted to put that weight once again on her sister. Currently, it was beginning to look like that would be the case. Discord was nowhere in sight, and she was still a worm on a string.
She wiggled, and moved on the string, trying to get somepony to see her trifles. The hope method only worked when luck was a variable, and her chances were decreasing by the minute. Sadly, her eyes were now googlely and disoriented her on the table she sat atop greatly. The squirming moved her pupils randomly, resulting in more squirming as she tried to get her bearings. She saw the door creak open, not saw, because worm on strings did not have ears. Interestingly anatomically correct, sans the fluff she sported from the fur on herself. And wings. And horn. They did not work enough for any progress toward the door to be made. She apparently did not have the nature defying flight abilities of bees.
"What in heavens is this?" The source of the creak from the door pondered. Luna looked up, recognizing her sister in the light that stretched out into the room from the door. Her savior had arrived once again.
Celestia grabbed Luna with her magic, yet again holding the string that held her fate and herself. How ironic, Luna noted in the moment. She glanced up at Celestia, who gasped, "Luna it's you! Sister what happened? Well, I suppose you cannot answer that. I've been looking for you everywhere, I can see now why I had such trouble."
Luna hung there.
"Right, you are still a worm on a string. Got it." Celestia looked around, "It was Discord, if I had to guess. Lets get you fixed up shall we. Do not worry Luna, I'll get that dragon to put you back to normal."
A teleport and scolding later, Luna was back to normal. Her strings were gone. It had been strange to have them again, and she knew for certain she would avoid the trinket she had become for a good while. She had to admit, the experience had been slightly therapeutic. Time to think back helped ease her mind, comparing the past to the present showed how far she had come. And how far she could go.
