Raise the Sun

"Sister?" Luna's voice greeted the day princess' ears as she settled down from her bringing of the dawn. "Thou seemest... troubled."

It was true. Celestia had spent many hours each day and the entirety of every night brooding over many a trouble that had fallen over her mind.

"Equestria is pained, Luna." The elder alicorn confessed at length. "Its peace is strenuous, and I fear the Elements are losing their power."

"Dost thou mean to say thine subjects are weakened?" Luna inquired.

"Not weakened." Celestia prompted, turning from the rising sun to regard her sister. "But their differences are forcing them apart, one by one. If they part ways, I fear our only hope against another power from beyond may be lost to us."

"What dost thou suggest?"

Celestia's muzzle tilted into a frown, her expression thoughtful as she reached her decision.

"Tonight, before the arrival of the Summer Sun Celebration, I will meet with my student, Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps she may shed some light onto this matter."

Luna raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Art thou certain this is a wise course of action?"

"No." Celestia answered at last. "Rather, I am certain it isn't,  but the call of necessity is an urgent one."

Luna regarded her sister's pondering face for some time before again she spoke. "Tia?" She used the name that Celestia had been known by during their foalhood years. "Thou knowest of these troubles in detail, why dost thou not speak of them?"

"I am afraid for the outcome." Celestia muttered in reply, drawing Luna closer to hear her. "Harmony in Equestria hangs on a knife's edge. We might once again need to make our stand."

"But the Elements -"

"The Elements of Harmony are growing as distant as the ponies who bear them." Celestia cut the lunar mare short, inciting a slight fear in her younger sister which she wrapped a wing around to calm shortly thereafter. "We must be prepared for the worst when the time comes."

Luna blinked, taking a step away from her older sister and stared her in the eyes, trying to divulge what information she could as if prying long enough with her eyes alone would suffice.

Celestia, ever vigilant of her surroundings, did not let her sister's silent plea go to waste and she sighed. "I know we have promised not to speak of it again, and for what I can I will not." She drew her mane away from her eye as her sister nodded. "Years ago, when you met your fate on the moon I was left with the responsibility of all of nature's maintenance. The sun, the moon, the weather patterns and callings, the tending of the seas... I could not carry this full weight by my own, so to lessen the burden I authorized the construction of Cloudsdale's weather facility in full to reduce the strain. This includes the notorious rainbow factory on its upper floors."

"But we have returned," Luna protested, using the term 'we' naturally meaning only herself, "is this truly a necessity now to maintain?"

"Pegasi are an exceptionally proud breed of ponies, Luna." Celestia offered with a sigh, "And Cloudsdale pegasi number highest among them in that regard. Try as I might, I do not legally own the weather facility; it can only be halted from within its own numbers."

"Perhaps we could call on somepony from their employ?" Luna suggested.

"Somepony as loyal as they come, but somepony whose loyalties are known to tie her back home to a fault."

"Thou cannot mean... Rainbow Dash?" Luna whinnied in disbelief.

Celestia merely nodded. "This is but one incident that has bogged down on my mind as well. Two others have gained my attention, but these I cannot hope to share without drawing much undue attention."

"Very well, sister..." Luna sighed, turning away and starting to her private quarters. "We indeed have much to think about."