Dawn's new day.

Celestia sat upon her balcony, she had lowered her sun to make way for the night only minutes ago but it felt like so much longer as she gazed upon her sister’s stars. “I never could get them looking quite as nice as you could.”

“Who are you talking to?” Imago had snuck outside and was stealthily positioning herself at Celestia’s side before she had spoken.

“Luna.” Celestia leaned against Imago and spoke without really thinking. She had yet to tell the changeling about her sister and while this might have been strange for most families immortals always looked at the world a bit differently than most. “She’s my sister.”

Imago was a bit stunned. In all her years working in the castle she never realized Celestia had any other ponies she considered family, aside from Cadenza or Blueblood. “Where is she?”

“Up there.” Celestia motioned towards the mare on the moon. “Most ponies have forgotten her by now, considering I scrubbed her from history it’s no surprise though.” She growled at thought of what she had to do. We did what we must to get her completely back when the time comes.I know. I just wish we didn’t have to erase all the good along with the bad.

“So, why tell me now?” Imago knew that while they might be engaged, Celestia had plenty of secrets. We both do.

“Dawn, that colt was never part of the plan.” Celestia huffed with an amused tone and glanced over at Imago. So many things had been changing recently and she wasn’t used to not having control, even if most of those changes had been positive ones. Imago’s devotion alone had been a wonderful boon during these times, but she needed an equal not a follower. Harmony knows she had plenty of those.

“Plan?” Imago was getting a bit confused. She hadn’t ever seen Celestia drop her mask and let her emotions flow freely, felt them sure, but Celestia’s current mood was almost overwhelming.

Celestia looked back towards the moon. “The plan to save her. For so long I’ve been alone yet now, I have Cadence and you and even Dawn as ponies that won’t just… die on me. So I had a plan to raise a pony to wield the most powerful artifacts in order to save my sister.”

Imago shuffled her hooves, listening attentively. What exactly could somebuggy say to such revelations.

“At first it was going to be my first daughter’s task, Sunset Shimmer. I don’t think I’ve told you about her yet. Alicia reminds me of her sometimes when she was that age.” Celestia got a far off look as she remembered Sunset playing in the castle before she shook her head and looked down in shame. “But she ran off and I almost lost all hope. That was, until Twilight showed up. She is as gifted as Sunset was and her own Cutie mark is almost the exact symbol of magic itself!” Celestia looked back up with a hint of a hopeful smile.

“Then Dawn came along and I don’t know what to make of it. A colt of all things, becoming an alicorn right after he became my student and I still don’t understand how he ascended.” Celestia sighed.

“And do you regret it?” Imago looked up at the moon with her. “Making him your student? Because I don’t. Without Dawn around I wouldn’t have you, my hive, or especially my, no,” Imago shook her head, “Our daughters. I was actually planning to leave Canterlot not long before he and Twilight showed up.” It was Imagos turn to sigh and for Celestia to look confused.

“Why would you have left?” Celestia put a wing over her shivering partner. The nights were still quiet cold this far up the Canterhorn mountain in spring.

“There wasn’t enough love in the castle. When Twilight first became your student, the primary emotion was jealousy of a young filly and fear of her power. Luckily, Dawn came along and brightened the place up just in time for me to safely stick around. There was quite a lot of fawning over the young colt behind the scenes from the castle maids.” Imago chuckled.

“I can imagine.” Celestia rolled her eyes and remembered how she had first spent time with him. Even she wasn’t completely immune to fawning over playful colts and almost wish she would eventually have one of her own.

As the two sat in silence watching the stars Imago eventually broke it with a change in topic. “So, our daughter’s had their first day of school today.” She was literally becoming sick from talking about such depressing topics, they made her stomach churn. “They said it went well, although Alicia is upset she’s the only one stuck in another classroom.” Imago Chuckled. “She even asked me to use my Princess powers to have them put her with the rest of her siblings. I said no of course.”

Celestia felt sorry for her daughter. “I hope the other students weren’t too bad?” They better not have been.

“No. Thankfully there were other non pony students but it was only the first day so we’ll see. She was probably just feeling lonely.” Imago laid her head in the crux of Celestia’s neck.

“Ah, well that should pass as soon as she makes friends.” Celestia hummed. As they fell back into a comfortable silence both could spot a few of the night guards patrolling the skies.

“Hey, tell me about Luna.” Imago had felt Celestia’s emotions taking a turn so decided to head them off.

“She was always such a troublemaker.” Celestia started as they continued to talk into the night.