Birthrights

Birthright

        “Dear sister, how hath we performed? We raised the moon and stars as thy asked,” Luna spoke to her elder sister, hoping for her words of gratitude.

        “You’ve done well, dear Luna, and you have no need for formalities with me; we are equal,” she informed. Her younger sister bowed, then spoke in a more tender, kind voice than what she spoke in before.

        “Thank you, sister. I practiced hard to raise the moon and the stars that follow, to please the ponies of our lands.”

        “They will be grateful of you, Luna. Ponies need darkness to sleep, that which I cannot provide.” Celestia gratefully explained.

        “Sleep? Why will the ponies not enjoy my night, as they do your day?” she questioned, her voice hinting her slightly hurt feelings. Celestia nodded, and smiled kindly,

        “Yes, ponies do not have the energy to frolic through night and day; they will grow tired and no longer be able to work.” Her sister lowered her head in a light bow,

        “Thank you sister, for explaining. I will attend my duties, you must rest.” She turned to walk the castle and its grounds, patrolling for dangers lurking in the shadows.

        “Wait,” Celestia called to her, as she turned. “I love you, Luna.” Smiling tenderly. Luna glanced back, and with a vague smile, nodded and whispered, barely audible, “I love you too, dear sister.”

~

        Luna paced the dim lit garden, contemplating deeply the knowledge she had learned. Ponies sleep at night, and play in the day. Why does sister get the more important job, why must I do the work equal to that of a farmer? She stopped her pacing to nod to a guard who was passing her by. I am a princess, not a peasant...

~

Celestia lay on her bed, flicking through quickly ancient documents. pure white Scriptures with not a single scratch or damage upon them, explaining that for the world to stay at peace, two alicorns must rule, guiding the stars, moon, and sun, through the sky.  She thought back to her parents, ages ago, who had lectured her and her sister of their birth-duties.

        “Dearest, Celestia, you shall rule the sun, with burning passion and fiery will, thou shalt keep our kingdom safe under your wing and horn,” her father had told her. The news pleased her.

“I will gladly lead them,” her filly self responded proudly. She  remembered her mother's declaration to her sister.

        “You, dear Luna, shall guide the moon and stars, giving the ponies reprieve from the heat of day, cooling them for rest,” she said, at which luna grumbling. She felt quite undermined for her duties.

        “Luna, both you’re duties are important. neither overlay the prior. Both are needed for ponies to survive,” their parents explained, giving both a feeling of importance. Celestia more-so than her sister. Luna rather felt even less important to Equestria. Her only job to raise the moon and stars so ponies can sleep. While her sister to raise the sun for them to play, farm, and live under happily.

~

        “Sister, could you teach me how to raise the moon?” Luna, a young filly at the time, begged of her sister. Celestia, chuckled, smiling. Then she nodded to her little sister,

 “Sure, you will eventually fulfill it as your own duty, raising the moon and stars.”  After she had aided and taught her younger sister to raise the moon, they decided to escape from their royal lives, to play in the gardens behind the palace.

        “Tia, Tia! Can we play pass?” Luna asked, smiling big, a ball floating by her, suspended by a deep blue magic aura.

        “I don’t see why not,” she responded, smiling. The ball flew to her, and she in turn passed it back. this continued this for a few minutes until Celestia accidentally tossed it to hard. The ball overcame Luna’s magical abilities, the ball bouncing off her head.

        “Oh! I am so sorry, Luna! I didn’t mean too!” Celestia quickly apologized, running up to her teary eyed sister.

        “It... It’s okay Tia, its not your fault, I’m just not strong enough...” she muttered, staring at the grass below her feet.

        “No, no, it is my fault, Luna, I shouldn't ha-” Celestia began, before Luna ran back into the palace crying silently.

~

        Luna sat before one of the many garden flowers that were blooming in the night air from her magic. She  what ponies might think of her, being the princess of night and darkness. She stood, the flower wilting back to its sleeping form, and took flight to oversee the land. Covered in her gentle darkness, she glanced across a town, noting the dark windows and sleeping ponies. There were homeless ponies sleeping still in their makeshift tents, hiding even outside from the night. Even the pets, dogs and cats, slept soundly in her dark embrace. She passed a home, an orphanage, which had a single light on. She peered in, silent and watchful, into the orphanage window. three pegasi inside sat playing a quiet game, as to not wake the other foals.

        “Children, why do you not rest, as others do?” Luna questioned, stepping into the room with silent grace. The three young ponies, although rather startled, bowed in respect to her.

        “We can’t have much fun in the day. Earth ponies don’t like us pegasi, M’lady,” spoke a grey pegasus with a light blue mane.

        “Oh? Why is that, dear?” she asked, interested in their troubles.

        “They think it’s unfair for them. We can fly and all, but we promise we won’t use no wings in games! M’lady,” a purple filly, with a pink mane, stated.

        “No need to be formal, dear children, I feel your pain, and I sympathize it. fly with me, you three, have you any other friends?” Luna requested, understanding how the children felt left out from the others.

        “Yes ma’am, we got two others. they’re off at the restroom; they oughta be back soon enough,” said a blue pony, with a shiny blue mane of the same shade. And as if on queue, two more foals walked in. One of them had a light blue shade with a dark blue mane, while the other who was following him was dark grey with a grey-blue mane, light in color.

        “I am proud to see you, five wonderful ponies. I sympathize all of you, for I know the pain you’ve felt. Now fly with me, I have something for you all.” She then took a slow flight out the window once more, the foals flying close. Having never seen their town from this view, gazed in awe at the shadowed glory.