Sun and Moon

by Graymane Shadow

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Luna, Drama, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life
Length: 7459

Celestia and Luna both face uncomfortable truths.

Luna struggles to rejoin modern Equestria and resume her place as diarch.

Celestia struggles to admit that it's not just Luna she needs to forgive.

Both of them have uncomfortable truths to face.

Published 2022-04-29 19:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-05-09 15:28:42 UTC

Tendrils in the Garden

The faint sound of laughter drifted through the halls of the Solar Wing, lending warmth to the cool night air. The guards were not fully accustomed to the late-night walks of Princess Celestia and the recently-returned Princess Luna, and the laughter certainly helped calm their still-sharp nerves over the matter.

In some respects, Celestia felt as though Luna had only been gone a short while. While the variables were different – to be expected after a thousand years – many of the problems Celestia faced on the day to day were the same as they had been in that forgotten age. It made discussing things with her surprisingly easy.

“Is it wrong of me to feel a touch regretful that I did not simply wipe out their ancestors when I was Nightmare Moon?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, but allowed herself to smile. She knew Luna had a long road to recovery ahead of her, and if black humor was part of what her sister needed to cope, she wouldn’t judge her.

“Life might indeed have been simpler without them, but they do have their uses.” She sighed. “Even if that can be hard to remember somedays.”

The current trouble with the nobles stemmed from the pony at her side. While some of them had welcomed Luna’s return with open hooves, the majority continued to focus on what she had done as Nightmare Moon and insisted that Celestia ‘deal with the threat appropriately’.

Those nobles had seen a new side of Celestia that day, one they found not to their liking.

As they walked onward, Luna stared thoughtfully at the floor for a few moments. “If it would make things easier, I can abdicate my title.”

Celestia started to shake her head before pausing, judging the look on her sister’s face, the slump of her shoulders.

“The garden is this way,” she said, wrapping one wing around Luna to gently guide her outside, where there were fewer ears.

They walked in silence for some time, passing several statues – with both sisters casting glares at Discord’s statue – before coming to one of Celestia’s favorite spots; a small garden surrounding a fountain.

With a quick flash, Celestia cast a silencing spell, shutting out the few guards that were posted in the gardens. She wanted complete privacy for this.

“What do you want, Luna?”

Luna, who had taken a place not far from her sister, looked away.

“What I want doesn’t matter,” she whispered. “Equestria has seen what happens when I reach for things I want. If she…no, if they decide they wish to be rid of me…I will concede their request.”

Celestia tried not to grind her teeth. A thousand years to prepare, and she’d put her sister back in the exact same position as before; feeling unwanted and unloved. “And where would you go?”

“There are places I have not seen for ages,” Luna replied, speaking more strongly now. She’d clearly rehearsed this pitch several times. “Even before my banishment, my duties had limited my travel. I would seek them out, and find what has become of those lands, those creatures.”

Wanting to draw Luna’s thinking to the conclusion, Celestia decided to play along. “There is still no Crystal Empire, Luna. The Frozen North remains as it was when we last fought Sombra. The griffons fell into shadow long ago, their pride and dignity forgotten. The yaks are on cool terms with us at best, and the hippogriffs…well, we haven’t communicated for some time.”

Luna made no reply.

“Would you mind a companion on your journey?”

“Who would want to come with the monster?” Luna asked, brushing the grass back with one forehoof.

“I would.”

That got Luna’s attention. “Sister, this is not a joking matter.”

“I would,” Celestia repeated, more forcefully this time. “I will not abandon you again, Luna. Even if you told me I could not accompany you, I would still follow.”

“Then who would lead Equestria?” Luna got back to her hooves, moving to stand in front of her sister. “These ponies need you, Tia. You cannot abandon them without a successor, and I do not believe the young niece you introduced me to is prepared to take your place!”

“Cadance is not ready to ascend to the throne,” Celestia admitted. “But neither were we. Given enough support – which I can amply provide – she would rise to the challenge, if asked.”

Luna stared at Celestia, her jaw agape. “You…you would give up your crown for me?”

“Is that not what you’re offering to do for my sake?” Celestia smiled. “How could I do less than my sister?”

To Celestia’s surprise, Luna stepped forward, nuzzling her tightly. She felt the warm wetness of tears dripping onto her neck, and wrapped one foreleg around Luna’s small form.

“You continue to show me kindness I do not deserve,” Luna whispered. “What I did…what I nearly did to your student and her friends…”

“You were not yourself,” Celestia reminded her. “The Luna I knew long ago – the Luna I see before me now – would never do such things.” She squeezed. “Incidentally, it’s a Luna I wish to keep around for a long, long time.”

“But the-“

“Forget them, Luna.” Celestia pushed Luna away gently, far enough to allow her to look in Luna’s eyes. “The nobles will complain about what they will. They lack the support to do more than that. All they can do is be a headache.” Taking a breath, Celestia repeated her question. “What do you want, Luna?”

Luna bit her lip. “I want a chance to prove that I can be what I should have been. Not just your sister, but Diarch in my own right.”

Celestia smiled. “And I want nothing more than for the ponies of Equestria to see you for who you truly are. A kind, caring soul, a pony that – having suffered much – will know how to help those who struggle with their own demons and weaknesses.”

She yawned then, the stress of the day finally catching up with her. “Now, if you don’t mind, we’ll continue talking about this tomorrow.”

Cracking the Façade

Luna hadn’t been lying when she had told her sister that she wanted to prove herself.

That didn’t mean she was sure that she could.

The problem continued to pick at her mind, eroding what little confidence Celestia could build in her as the days went on. After a very discreet inquiry, Celestia made arrangements to put a counselor on retainer.

The modern concept of a counselor had been foreign to Luna, and she found herself struggling to open up to their questions, though the counselor – a stallion named Open Mind – assured her that was perfectly normal.

“I’m just here to talk if you want to,” he’d told her during their first visit. She hadn’t talked, not about anything substantial, but he hadn’t seemed to mind.

Now, on their fifth visit, Luna was starting to get a measure of the other pony, enough that she felt safe venturing what had been occupying her mind once more.

“Perhaps I should simply go through with my initial plan, and abdicate my title.”

Open Mind didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he reached for his bag, pulling out an apple and offering it to her, which she politely declined.

Shrugging, he raised it to his mouth with one wing, then took a bite, chewing thoughtfully.

“An interesting idea,” he finally said. “And if I thought you really wanted that, I’d say it was worth considering.”

“You believe I am being untruthful?”

“I believe that you don’t actually want that.”

She held his gaze for several moments before looking away, her shoulders slumping. “I did not realize I was so obvious.”

“You’re not, not usually, but there are certain tells one learns in my line of work.” He took another bite, waiting for her to continue. She appreciated that he seemed to respect her, never taking charge, but not being overly deferential either. Some of the palace servants were afraid to even breathe in her presence.

“I…I know what I want, but I’m afraid to want it,” she slowly admitted. “And even though Celestia tells me it is a normal thing to want, some part of me still fears to do so.”

“Such feelings are not uncommon among those with unresolved trauma. And, while it may displease you to hear such, you were just as much of a victim of what happened that night as Celestia. Only your trauma was far more drawn out, far more layered.”

“But I -“

“Did terrible things, yes. I will not deny such, having read the accounts. But they were not the actions of a raving lunatic, nor of a pony who enjoys inflicting pain and terror. They were the actions of a deeply wounded individual, one who had sacrificed much to drag Equestria to the state it was in at that time. A pony who felt trapped, and reacted in such a way because she didn’t see any other way to escape the horror that her life had become.”

The thought was tantalizing to Luna, even if she wasn’t sure she liked all the implications. “I still chose to do what I did.”

“You did, and I would not stop you from accountability, were it due in this case. I believe it is fair to say that a thousand years on the moon is sufficient penance for your crimes. That leaves us with only the trauma to work through.”

That was something she could accept.

“I’m not certain why you wanted me to come to these sessions.”

Celestia sat somewhat uncomfortably in the slightly-too-small chair, frowning at the small (in her view) stallion opposite her. She continued, “I’m certainly not the one suffering from having spent a thousand years trapped in the moon.”

“You’re not,” Open Mind admitted. He remained placid in his own chair, twiddling his quill between two feathers.

She blinked. “Then there must be some other reason you asked me to see you?” Her quick mind scrabbled for a explanation, and she settled on one that was pleasing. “You wish to discuss Luna’s case with me?”

“I don’t,” he replied. Smiling, he added, “Doctor-patient privilege applies even to sovereigns. I invited you here because I believe you need someone to speak with that isn’t your sister…”

She opened her mouth to object, but he raised a hoof to stop her.

“…or a member of your staff,” he continued. “Unless you’re going to claim that your staff doesn’t see your every word as a command, and aren’t too afraid to offer any actual advice?”

I’m going to have a word with Fancy Pants about his recommendation, Celestia thought. This counselor was more perceptive than she’d been prepared for. Annoyingly so.

“I’ve managed to survive this long with only my staff,” she replied. “I think I can continue to bear any burdens I might be shouldering well enough.”

“But why should you?”

Her mouth opened…and closed again.

“Many of the ponies I work with are not so different from you, Princess. Their lives may be shorter, but they still have the same stubborn streak that fools them into thinking they don’t need any help. They usually maintain that stance right up until they break, and end up in my office on a psych hold. I’d rather we avoided that step in your case.”

Seemingly unaware of the stir his words had caused within her, he raised one hoof. “Unless you’d prefer the hard way?”

Ponies did not speak to her this way. Even Luna did not speak to her this way.

It was both annoying and refreshing.

“I do not speak of my problems, in part for the reasons you mentioned, and in part because the things that keep me up at night – the things that dig into my soul – are things that no pony should have to think about.”

“Is blaming yourself for what happened to your sister one of those things that ponies shouldn’t have to think about?”

She felt the burn of shame, and a flare of anger blossomed in her chest.

“I believe we’re done here,” she said, stepping off the chair and moving to leave.

“As I told your sister, part of my job is to talk with those who want to talk.” He didn’t move, merely watched as she continued toward the door. “As with most of my patients, if you wish to leave, that is your right. Should you decide to return and speak with me, my door remains open.”

It took Celestia two weeks to return. The first week had been spent trying to put what he’d said out of her mind, and failing badly. The second week had consisted of internal debates over not wanting to appear weak, and not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing he’d been right.

She’d finally decided that such fears were petty, and beneath her. If a professional thought he could help her, then she had a duty to the ponies she served to seek out such help.

Which was all that was keeping her from walking away from his door without knocking.

Biting her lip, she squeezed her eyes shut, took a breath, and raised one hoof to knock on the door.

He came to the door rather quickly. “Princess?” He was still wearing a sleeping cap, and yawned before adding, “I can’t say I was expecting your visit at this hour.”

Centuries of waking earlier than nearly everypony else to raise the sun had somewhat warped Celestia’s concept of what ‘early’ was.

“I’m sorry,” she immediately said. “I should – I’ll return some other time.”

“No.” The fatigue temporarily left his voice. “I know what it takes to admit you need help. The strength you showed now may not be so easy to find later. Please, come in.”

She looked to the guard who had come with her. He nodded, stepping into place just outside the door.

“Just let me put on the kettle for tea…”

Author's Note

There's at least two, possibly three more chapters of this to come (much of which is already written). I expect to have this done by next week.

Divided Soul

“You’re sure you want to do this alone?” Celestia took a scarf in her magic, wrapping it gently around Luna’s neck. “I can take the time to go with you.”

“No.” Luna’s reply was polite but firm. “Thank you for the offer, but at some point I need to learn to walk on my own four hooves again. It might as well be tonight.”

Celestia looked as though she wanted to say more, but paused before sighing, nodding her assent. “Then I will see you in the morning. Good luck, Luna.”

Luna pushed open the glass doors, stepping onto the balcony. The chill was brisk, and she was immediately grateful for the scarf.

Looking back, she smiled, if only slightly. “Thank you, Tia.”

Her sister raised a friendly wing in response.

Luna pushed off the balcony, taking to the skies over Canterlot, and the destination that lay beyond.

The Everfree Forest was greatly changed from her day, and yet despite the obvious danger it now held, it still felt far more inviting than the towering spires and alabaster walls of Canterlot.

At least the creatures in the forest disliked all intruders equally.

The sight of her former home filled her with a mixture of joy and sadness. There were many memories held within the rent walls, the true reason she had come that night.

In discussions with both Open Mind and her sister over the recent weeks, she had finally come to realize that she could not hope to progress forward until she confronted her past. The Elements of Harmony had cleansed her of the Nightmare, giving her the strength to reassert her former nature. They had not solved the root issue that caused her to become Nightmare in the first place.

For that, she felt like she had to return to the place where things had gone so wrong.

She circled over the ruins once before sailing through one of the holes in the roof of the throne room. With a deft dive, she came to rest behind the wreckage of the dais where she had made that fateful choice, so long ago.

Motes of dust, stirred up by her landing, drifted chaotically in the shafts of moonlight coming through the shattered window behind her.

But that was all that happened. There was no grand revelation, no procession to herald her arrival. Nothing but the dust of time and decay.

She closed her eyes, listening carefully to the sounds of the castle around her. Her heightened Alicorn hearing was enough to pick up the sounds of her own heartbeat, but as she focused…there was a slightly distinct second thrumming coming from somewhere else in the castle.

It was instinct that sent her walking in the direction of her former chambers…the place where things had truly begun.

The door was stiff, the hinges rusted and damaged. It took a considerable amount of effort to open the door without simply tearing it down, but she managed it.

She’d done enough destroying for a lifetime.

Inside, things were even worse. What little warmth she had felt was stolen away as she entered, and the darkness of the room was deeper than the mere lack of torchlight would have caused.

The thrumming of the heartbeat grew stronger, melding in unified disharmony with her own.

She pressed onward, at once hopeful that she might finally find some semblance of peace, and terrified that she was going to face something she was not prepared for.

The heartbeat was strongest in her bedroom, as was the stench of decay. That stench seemed to merge with the darkness, filling the very air with a presence that brushed uncomfortably against her skin. Her wings flicked as she shivered, trying to push off the sensation.

As her eyes fell on the mirror leaning against the far wall, she recognized it was her goal. Biting her lip, she forced herself forward at an angle, avoiding looking in the mirror until she was directly in front of it.

When she finally looked - upward, for the figure was taller than she - the Nightmare stared back at her.

“Hello, Luna,” she said, all fangs and malice.

“Hello,” Luna replied. Her heart, which had been beating a drum inside her chest, slowed back to normal.

“You don’t seem surprised to see me.”

“Can a mare be surprised to see her own reflection?”

Nightmare inclined her head, conceding the point.

“And yet, not quite accurate,” she continued. “Even when I took control of you, I never quite had your full allegiance.”

“That’s because I was too afraid to trust anypony,” Luna replied. “Even you.”

“A wise choice. Trust brought you only sorrow and betrayal. And yet, little Luna, you’re making those same mistakes again. Trusting the sister who betrayed you. Trusting that the fools of the nobility will finally show you the respect you deserve.” Nightmare flashed her teeth. “They never will, and you know it. Only fear will bring them in line.”

Luna lowered her head, as if pondering the idea.

“You know I can help you with that,” Nightmare continued. “I can make you greater than your wildest dreams. Instead of being subservient, you can rule, as you were always meant to.”

“You offer me what I already have.” Luna’s eyes were ice, and the Nightmare stepped back under their gaze.

“You claim that I can bring the nobles in line with fear?” Luna scoffed. “They already fear me. I don’t need the help of a failed echo to bring that about.”

“You dare –“

Luna had no intention of listening to any more of the Nightmare’s poison. “That’s all you are. An echo, a memory of the lies I told myself when I embraced the foulest arts to ever besmirch this land. But you’re just as hollow now as you were then. I reject you, and your lies, as I should have done then.”

“Foalish pony. You will not find me so easy to find, when your sister inevitably hurts you again.”

“Tia may yet hurt me, and the ponies of this land may yet reject me once more, but I would gladly suffer both for another thousand years before I gave the slightest hoofhold to your lies.” Flaring her wings and stomping her forehooves, Luna let loose with the full force of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “DEPART!”

The mirror cracked, splintered, shattered, the glass tumbling down out of the frame.

The heartbeat slowed, became more regular. yet did not disappear completely. The chill that Luna had felt gnawing at her eased, and the darkness lifted, if only slightly. She knew this fight wasn't over, but she trusted she could rest for a moment. In truth, she didn't have the energy to continue on, not right then.

All she could do was lie down and weep, as the bravery she had felt faded, the fears clawing their way back in.

Author's Note

The remaining chapters are done - I'll be spacing them out over the next few days. Rest assured, this one won't join your pile of "ugh, why was that never finished?" stories.

Waxing

“And what happened after that?” Open Mind still held his quill between his feathers, but it was on the verge of dropping.

Luna shrugged. “When I had finally exhausted myself with crying, I slept for a time. After I woke up, I returned to Canterlot.”

“And you’ve told nopony else this happened.” His tone was flat.

She shook her head.

“For three weeks?”

A faint smile. “You may have noticed that I am not especially talented at sharing personal things.”

He met that with a wry smile of his own. “Somewhat, yes.”

She slouched on the divan, resting her head on her forehooves. “I used to share more. But my sister grew tired of hearing my complaining, and so I stopped.” She sighed. “’Tis a shame I was not here to see Tia simply mellow over the years. But, mellow she did, while I am still just as much of a foal as I was then.”

“And yet your sister still makes mistakes, just the same.”

“Tiny ones,” Luna corrected. “Mistakes for Celestia fall into categories such as setting out the wrong tea bags, or raising the sun a minute late. Things few would notice.

“My mistakes fall into categories such as ‘national embarrassment’ or ‘nearly killing everycreature on the planet’.”

He looked over his glasses at her. “And here I thought we’d made progress on accepting that the past cannot be changed.”

“We have,” she admitted. “That does not change the facts at hoof.”

Open Mind remained silent for a time, his eyes softly boring into her own. When they’d first begun meeting, she had found the behavior uncomfortable; now, she knew he was simply deciding how best to respond.

“Coffee?” he suddenly asked, stepping off his own cushion.

She blinked at the sudden change. “Pardon?”

“I seem to recall that, unlike your sister, you prefer coffee to tea.” He winked. “You said tea was a vile beverage fit only for rinsing a latrine, I think?”

She felt a tinge of embarrassment, but nodded with a quick smile. “I may have said such a thing, on occasion.”

Now he grinned. “Both as a counselor and as a humble pony, I prefer such refreshing honesty.” Gesturing toward the back of the apartment, where the kitchen was, he continued, “Would you join me for a cup?”

She’d had a late night, and could feel the hours dragging on her. Coffee sounded exactly like what she needed. “Yes, I will take some.”

Watching him brew a pot, she was struck by how meticulous he was – every ingredient carefully measured, every step done with the ease of long practice.

When she commented on this, he chuckled. “In my youth I traveled more, and spent some time near the, well, the North Luna Ocean, close to Vanhoover.”

He paused to check the temperature of the water, then continued. “Studying for my doctorate involved a lot of late nights, which I naturally powered through with the power of caffeine. The only shops open that late were the griffon ones.”

“Griffon coffee?” she asked, curious.

“Well it’s the same as ours, at least the ingredients. But their preparation is far more careful than most ponies bother with. Gives it a far better taste, and more kick, and when you need to stay awake that last part is crucial.”

When the brew was ready, he poured a healthy measure into a cup, then held it out with a wing. She took it in her magic, bringing it up to take a sip, before wincing in pain from how hot it was.

“Sorry,” he said, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. “I’m not used to serving it to other ponies – forgot to mention you need to let it cool a little.”

“It is alright,” she replied, setting it down and pressing her singed tongue against the roof of her mouth.

While he puttered about looking for the biscuit tin, which somehow had ended up outside of the kitchen, she picked the cup up once more, blowing gently on it to drop the temperature before taking another sip. The warmth filled her, and she had to admit that the flavor profile was better than what she usually got in the palace.

Returning with the tin in wing, he sat down opposite her, then smiled, clearly amused by something.

“What?” she asked, wondering if she’d committed some social faux pas she was unaware of.

“I couldn’t help noticing that you waited for the coffee to cool before taking another, much more cautious sip.”

Rasing one eyebrow, she nodded. “And…?”

“You made a mistake that caused you injury, and then, learning from that, you sought not to repeat it.” He took a sip from his own cup. “Seems like that sort of thing might apply elsewhere.”

She stared at him, eyes narrowed.

“Biscuit?” he offered, holding out the open tin with a smile.

She took one, if only to give her mouth something to do besides vocalize the thoughts she was still processing.

But the biscuit could only last so long, and then, vocalize them she did.

“Becoming…her, and burning my tongue on coffee are hardly comparable,”

“You said your mistakes were only big ones.” Another sip. “Perhaps you just need a new perspective.”

Celestia shuffled her forehooves on the divan, trying not to fidget and failing at it. “My sister seems to be doing better.”

Open Mind nodded. “She is progressing in her own way, at her own pace. But she is progressing.”

“And am I progressing?” She hated the uncertainty in her tone, something that the pegasus seemed especially talented in drawing out of her. She was accustomed to being seen as Celestia the unflappable, not Celestia the frazzled.

“Do you feel you are?”

Her tone was tart as she replied, “You know, sometimes I wonder why I come here.”

“It’s not for the tea?” He sipped at his own cup. “By the way, thank you again for the new teapot. Most kind of you.”

A flash of embarrassment colored her cheeks. “I wouldn’t say it was kindness, so much as obligation. I did throw your last one out the window.”

“And managed to avoid hitting anyone with it, so as mistakes go, I’d say that gets you a pass.” He scribbled a note on his pad. “Truth is, it was something I’d picked up in a thrift store ages ago. Beyond some minor sentimental value, it was just a common teapot.”

And I got you a replacement from the Palace set. She groaned softly.

On some level, she knew what he was doing. One did not remain in power for as long as Celestia had without learning when somepony was trying to keep you off balance, punching for reactions.

And yet, she continued to return. Because on another level, she knew it was actually effective at getting her to examine her life from a different angle.

The trouble with being her age was that the mind tended to fall into very set patterns, preferred to trod the same paths over and over.

His methods worked, but by Faust, they were annoying.

“What do you want?” he asked, breaking her from her internal rant. “Right now, in this moment.”

Celestia snorted. “To tell the truth? I want my sister here by my side. We fought so many enemies when we were younger that I just know she’d know how to handle you.”

He nodded, scribbling another note. “So, ask her to come with you next time. Seems like an easy solution.”

“I can’t tell her that.” Celestia frowned. “She can’t think I’m having any sort of trouble with her return. It would crush her.”

“Would it?” He tossed his notepad onto the small desk, fixing her with his full gaze now. “Or are you perhaps more concerned that your sister might see you as something less than perfect?”

She scoffed. “I think Luna knows very well that I am far from perfect. If I was perfect, I wouldn’t have banished her to the moon.”

“I don’t think she sees it that way,” he replied. “She still blames herself for that incident, as you might recall. You don’t really enter into the equation.”

“She’s seen me make other mistakes since her return, such as –“

“Using the wrong teabags?” he offered.

They both turned their gaze to the teapot then. She almost expected him to reach for it, putting it out of the grasp of her magic, but he merely returned his gaze to her, a placid expression on his face, as if he didn’t care if she chucked the teapot out the window again.

She decided he probably didn’t.

That annoyed her even more.

Author's Note

The bit about griffon coffee and their preparation of such is a reference to a small bit in Sockpuppet's Princess Luna's Unconvincing Disguise, which I've long enjoyed.

Eclipse

It was odd, Celestia reflected, that no animal life had seen fit to move into the Castle of the Two Sisters over the long years.

Spiders, certainly, as well as the ever-present bats, but both had been here prior to the castle's abandonment, and it was hardly a surprise they remained. But there was nothing else.

That knowledge only made the heartbeat she could hear even more disturbing. There was something alive in this place, something unfriendly.

No, not unfriendly. Something that hated her.

"Why are we here, Luna?" she asked, trying to force her voice to remain calm. It shouldn't have taken any effort on her part, and yet despite her efforts, some of the unease slipped through anyway.

Ahead of her, Luna looked back, the light from her horn casting her face in half light, half shadow. Her eyes shined with a mix of hope and something else. Other ponies might have mistaken it for bravery, but Celestia knew her sister.

It was fear. Fear that clawed and gnawed at the hope within.

"I will explain everything soon," she replied. "I promise."

As they moved into what had been the Lunar Wing of the castle, Celestia angled her head down, hornlight allowing her to note the narrow track worn into the dust, the thin strip crossing clean stone and the remnants of enchanted rugs long since faded to a pale mockery of their former finery.

Clearly, this wasn't Luna's first time here, nor her second.

Celestia couldn't help it. She wanted to trust her sister, and yet...part of her doubted. Luna had insisted they come alone, not telling anypony where they were going.

It would have been one thing if the place had been, say, Ponyville. But to return here...

And the heartbeat, growing in intensity, did not help matters.

"We're here," Luna said, having stopped just outside the door to her former chambers. Celestia noted with interest that the door appeared to have been recently mended, Luna's spellwork evident in the wood.

Luna let her neck and head slump, and her voice was tired as she said, "You do not have to stay, if you do not wish to."

Celestia blinked. "You asked me to come, did you not?"

The reply was a whisper. "The night is not your responsibility."

"I'm not afraid of the dark, Luna."

Luna looked at her then, eyes boring into her own.

"I am."

She touched the door with her horn, releasing the enchantments, then pushed her way inside.

Ice filling her veins, Celestia followed.

An hour ago, the decision had seemed so clear. Celestia had confided in her that she too was receiving counseling. Had been willing to reveal that she was less-than-perfect, had been willing to trust her sister with potentially damaging information.

It was the most trust Luna had felt since...well, ever.

Now? Luna just hoped she hadn't made a terrible mistake. And yet, what other choice did she have, but to reciprocate the same trust Celestia had showed her?

"When I first came here weeks ago, I found her here, trapped in the mirror," Luna began, walking up to stand next to the mirror, which was once again whole. Inside the mirror, a dark figure lay on the floor, reedy breathing blending with the thready heartbeat emanating from the figure.

"We argued, and I shattered the mirror, hoping that would destroy the echo that remained."

"But it didn't," Celestia guessed.

Luna nodded. "When I returned a week later, the mirror was restored, though she was different. I hadn't seen it that first night, but it was all too clear the second time. She is dying."

A soft chuckle. "All that power, all that braggadocio, and yet she is nothing without her other half. The half she despises for being weak."

"You," Celestia said.

Another nod. "She is part of me, the physical manifestation of my hate and resentment, combined with the bulk of my power. But without the other half, she is little more than an echo, a...reflection. And reflections only appear when there is something to reflect."

Several seconds passed. For a wonder, Luna saw pity in Celestia's eyes as her sister looked at the emaciated figure that was once the terrifying Nightmare Moon.

"You want to release her." Celestia's tone betrayed no hint of her feelings on the matter.

"I see no alternative," Luna replied, biting her lip. "I have been back for months now, and yet despite our guesswork, I have seen no change to my physical appearance, no restoration of my former power. I cannot even move my moon, something that used to be as natural as breathing to me." She looked at the Nightmare. "She has that power, along with so many others that were once mine. Unless I bring her back into myself, I will never be as I once was. As I should be."

And now came the question Luna knew had to be asked. The one she wasn't sure she had an answer for.

"What if she takes control of you again?"

Now, the quiver of fear in Celestia's tone was very clear.

Taking a deep breath, Luna answered. "That is why I asked you here tonight. If that starts to happen, if my will proves to be less than that of the Nightmare...I need you to stop me."

There was no need to elaborate. Celestia knew better than anypony what would be required to stop the return of Nightmare Moon, especially with the Elements out of play.

"No." Celestia started to shake her head. "It's too risky, Luna. We need more time to study this, more time to prepare."

"It has to be tonight," Luna replied, willing her sister to understand. "My own fear and weakness has caused me to wait until the final hours. If we delay, even for a single day...she will die, and all will be lost. I will remain a shell of my former self. Something to be pitied, something less than I should be."

Celestia looked back at the mirror.

"Do you trust me?"

Luna knew the question was manipulative, knew it was unfair to ask. But it was the final card she had to play.

Tears were welling in Celestia's eyes as she looked back now. "I just got you back, Luna. I don't want to lose you again."

Luna felt her own eyes moisten. "And I want nothing more than to spend what is left of my life at your side, as I should always have been. We were meant to rule together, were we not?"

A heartbeat. Two. Luna found she was holding her breath, and yet she couldn't breathe, not until her sister spoke.

"What do I need to do?" the elder Alicorn finally asked, sounding unhappy but committed.

Luna swallowed. "Be ready to act if this does not go as I hope," she replied.

Celestia nodded, stepping off to the side, allowing Luna full view of the mirror.

Walking up to the glass, Luna looked down at the wraith inside, which was now swirling and moving as she often had. Her sneering visage appeared then, radiating hate and malice.

"Come...come back for my help, as I always knew you would," Nightmare hissed, her bloodshot eyes sunken into her head.

"No," Luna replied. "I have come to save you."

"Save me?!" Nightmare spat. "Save me!? Little scared Luna can't save anypony. She's just a foal, scared of her own shadow, too fearful to seize what should be rightfully hers. Even now you're relying on your sister, the sister that holds you down and controls you. She stole all the glory from you once, and she's going to do it again, Luna!"

They were old lies, and their sting, while present, did not have the power they once had. "No," she said. "My sister is here tonight because she trusts me. Supports me." Now her eyes narrowed. "All you ever did was tear me down, feed my hatred, and fill me with lies that weakened my very soul until you could find enough of a hoof-hold to take control!"

Her voice was rising now, a thousand years of regret and frustration spilling from her heart. "You robbed me of my future, broke my sister's heart, and all so you could be a petty tyrant that no pony would ever have loved!" Luna pumped more power into her horn now, building the spell she'd constructed for this purpose.

"Foal! What use is love when you can have fear?!" Nightmare shrieked.

Luna blinked, the anger that had been stirring in her turning to ash.

"Anypony can have fear," she whispered. "But they can also have friendship, and love, if they are only willing to work for it."

She brought her horn down to touch the glass. "And I choose friendship. I choose love."

The spell discharged, and the world flashed white as the mirror exploded outward, shards spraying everywhere as the Nightmare surged forward, her smokey horn aimed directly at Luna's breast.

Pain. Unspeakable pain and agony filled her body, her very bones and blood feeling as though they were on fire. She felt a darkness pour into her mind, Nightmare's poison seeking a place of refuge, desperately looking for that critical hoof-hold that would allow her to persist on until she could take control again. Luna fought, screamed, threw everything she had at the hate burning her soul...but it wasn't enough. She could feel the darkness growing, feel the blackness overtaking her. She'd miscalculated, and now her sister was going to pay the price.

And then there was light. Pure radiant sunlight poured into her, burning the blackness back, giving Luna a chance to get back to her own hooves. She wasn't sure where she was, but she knew Celestia was there, giving her the backstop she needed, giving her the love she'd always desperately craved. She took that love, combined it with her own, letting the energies build in her horn...and let it loose.

Screaming, screaming like she'd never heard before as the Nightmare was struck with the one power against which she had no defense. Luna felt the burning intensify, felt her heart beat harder and harder, her mind fuzzing as the pain grew too great to bear.

And then it was done. The roaring that had been in her ears ceased, the light and darkness vanished, and Luna was once more simply Luna, in the wreckage of her former chambers, clutched tightly in the embrace of a crying sister.

But this time, the tears were from joy.

Author's Note

Sorry this chapter took a bit longer than promised - I ended up throwing out pretty much everything I'd had written for it, and started from scratch. Seeing as this is more or less the sum of the piece, I wanted to get it right.

I've always thought Luna's final handling of the Tantabus was a little too practiced and casual, as though she'd had prior experience rejoining with negative energies. So I decided to write her first experience with such a thing.

There's one more epilogue chapter to follow, which shouldn't take long.

Apogee

"And be sure to only plant lavender in this section. If you mix any of the other flowers into this bed, it will just create some terrible hybrid, and then we shall have to start all over!"

Celestia smiled, knowing how particular Luna was about her flower beds. While the Royal Gardeners were hardly inexperienced, lavender was one flower Celestia had banned from the grounds until very recently, so they were, at best, out of practice.

She looked over the last scroll of the day, verifying that everything was correct. Her eyes burned from fatigue, and she read it once more, just to make sure she hadn't missed anything from tiredness. With the flurry of changes required by Luna's full return, it had been a very long day indeed. Satisfied, she signed it with a flourish, rolled it back up, and handed both items to Raven Inkwell.

"Don't bother trying to file those tonight, it's already far too late," Celestia said. "They can wait for the morning."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Raven bowed before departing, trying - and failing - to stifle a yawn before she disappeared inside the palace.

Now free from one of the more onerous shackles of her position, Celestia pressed into the gardens, seeking out her sister. With all that had happened the night before, there had barely been time to discuss things, and she was more than a little eager to see how Luna was doing.

It seemed the answer to that question was 'muzzle down to the soil, coat splattered with mud and dirt, restored mane billowing in an unseen breeze, while her magic carefully tamped the dirt down just so', which made Celestia start to laugh.

"I do not see you down here helping, Tia," Luna groused. Then she winked. Finally satisfied, she stood, forcing Celestia to adjust once more to Luna's regained height. She was still shorter than Celestia, but that left her taller than nearly every other pony, something that had put a smile on Luna's face when they'd returned that morning.

"All done?" Celestia asked.

"I think for tonight, yes." She raised a forehoof, rubbing at her nose. "Finished signing all those scrolls you love so much?"

Celestia rolled her eyes. "I do not love scrolls."

"No, just making new laws and rules," Luna replied, grinning. "And now you plan to drag me into that whole sordid affair."

"You did ask for it."

She grinned more widely now. "I did, and I do not regret it one bit."

"Well, since you're back to helping around here..." Celestia began, nodding her head toward the sky.

Luna's grin dropped, and her eyes widened. "Oh!" She looked around, checking that they were alone.

Celestia put a foreleg around Luna's neck. "Relax. You'll be fine."

"I know," Luna replied. "But...I fear I shall be out of practice."

"Plenty of time to practice between now and the next Summer Sun Celebration."

The two sisters turned, facing the places of their respective celestial bodies.

"Ready, Luna?"

A pause.

"Ready, sister."

To the ponies of Equestria, the sunset that evening was the same as any other.

To two sisters in a garden...it was everything.

Author's Note

And that marks the end of this story. Hopefully you enjoyed it!