It Was War

A recently redeemed goddess of the night watched as the sun sank below the horizon quickly followed by the moon's rising. Luna played no part in this, and she agreed with her elder sister that it was for the best. Everything she'd known centuries ago had died long before her return. Yet she was free to learn of this apparently new world without the influence of the Nightmare; the elements of harmony had separated Luna and the Nightmare, sending the second back to the moon. Without the everburning desire for vengeance Luna felt cold and empty; whereas before she was filled with a hatred for all the citizens of Equestria, there was nothing. The elements of harmony had stripped her of everything it seemed, though she could feel a slow rising of her old self coming she also knew it would take some time before she felt right.

Luna was anything but ungrateful for what the bearers of the elements had done for her, but the feeling of utter loss was something she didn't think any creature, pony or otherwise, could fully understand. Of course her sister could, Celestia nearly died to save Equestria from Luna's rampage; a piece of her soul was given to wrest the three elements of harmony under her sister's control in order to do yet another unthinkable thing. Now that Luna could think clearly, she wanted to feel pity or remorse for what she'd done; not even such justified emotions could be felt by the midnight blue alicorn.

She remembered watching the restoration of Equestria, remembered how her sister fought the urge to simply die after what she'd been forced to do. Her soul was gone, the elements inert, and her only sister banished in a manor not even the worst of criminals could expect as punishment. All this she did for Equestria, but not before allowing the way to continue on four several years during which thousands died. Luna remembered all of this clearly, as it was all that had been on her mind while she was banished.

Now as the night fell upon Equestria Luna found she had more time to herself than she really wanted. With her new found freedom there was no end to the things she wished to do. For the sake of the guards and other palace staff, Luna confined herself to her room. This was also in part a suggestion from her sister after Luna tried to punish a guard for not bowing at the passing of royalty. Celestia, at the time, had to put herself between Luna and the assaulted guard before he was skewered with his own spear. Luna was shocked to learn that she was required to at the very least acknowledge the right's of those in the palace as ponies. The only ting that hadn't really changed, Luna realized, was the citizens of Equestria still feared her. Why had Celestia told her it wasn't a good thing, then?

Several weeks had passed since her return, but it was as if nothing changed. Celestia still tended to all the royal duties, and still controlled the sun and moon; even though Luna commonly wandered the palace to familiarize herself with it, she'd overheard several guards debating whether or not she was in the palace at all. She'd made her presence known, and they'd all scurried away quickly.

Why was it wrong to be feared? Luna didn't believe she'd ever understand, but submitted to her sister's greater wisdom on such matters. Celestia had been very right in the past by banishing her one and only sister; something Luna was no longer loathe to admit.

"Luna?" Her sister's voice separated Luna from her thoughts in an instant. She hummed in response.

"I haven't seen you today, how are you feeling?''

"We do not feel, dear sister. It has been long since We hath felt not but the fires of hatred; We are empty with its loss."

Celestia crossed the room in seconds and pulled her lost sister into a hug.

"Give it time, you will heal; some day all those wounds will disappear leaving behind no scars." Celestia's voice was panicked as though she desperately wanted to believe those words, whether for Luna's sake or her own.

Luna pulled away from her sister's embrace, "What of thee, and thine own wounds?"

"I don't know, Luna. They say time heals all wounds, but it may take too long for mine to heal." Celestia's serene and sure mask was betrayed the the shakiness of her tone.

Luna's eyes widened when she realized the meaning of her sister's words, but before she could say anything else Celestia turned away.

"I've bothered you enough, haven't I?" Celestia said as the sound of large, ornate wooden doors opening echoed through the spacious room. "Please do look at the book I gave you on social etiquette, I'd love nothing more than to have you meeting the ponies of today's world. It would be good for you to know your subjects."

Celestia's last sentence hung ominously in Luna's thoughts. The entire conversation, short as it was, left Luna feeling drained and tired. Learning etiquette would have to wait until another time. As she climbed into bed and settled under the covers, Luna realized she could feel again. Tears stained her silk pillows while she drifted off to sleep. At last she felt remorse; her actions had damned her sister.