Rarity trotted along the path leading from Applejack’s farm to the Everfree Forest, where she could see Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie and Princess Luna chatting animatedly as they waited for her. Adjusting her large pink hat over her horn, she trotted up to the small group.
“Hi, Rarity,” Twilight said when she got close enough. “The others couldn’t make it?”
“No,” Rarity said, shaking her head. “Applejack is attending a family get together in Appleloosa and Rainbow got called to Cloudsdale on some sort of emergency. Good afternoon, Princess.”
Luna dipped her head in response. “Good afternoon, Rarity. And please, call me Luna.”
“My apologies, Prin—I mean, Luna.” Rarity looked up uncertainly, but a short laugh from Luna quelled her unease.
Luna turned, and strode into the forest. “Shall we be going then?”
“We’re walking through the forest?” Fluttershy asked, quivering.
"Yes, the old enchantements built in to the castle walls will prevent us from just teleporting there," Luna said, looking back. “Is there something wrong with that?”
“No, not really, its just really creepy,” Fluttershy said even quieter than before, ducking down beneath her mane.
“Yeah, everything works all by itself,” Pinkie said, pausing her constant bouncing and frowning at the forest. “It doesn't need ponies helping it grow. Its not natural.”
Luna gave a short laugh. “Once, my little ponies, all of nature worked like this. Now, this is one of the last bastions of true nature left.”
“Really?” Twilight asked, looking at Luna in confusion. “I’m sorry, but I’m having difficulty wrapping my head around the idea that this is natural.”
“It has been a long time since the world worked like this,” Luna said thoughtfully. “But come, adventure awaits!” She walked into the forest purposefully, inspiring the others to follow her.
“Whoo!” Pinkie yelled as she bounded along the path. “I can’t believe we’re going on an adventure with Princess Luna!” She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “What exactly are we doing, again?”
A collective groan rose from the group, but Luna smiled and answered the question. “We’re traveling to the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters in order to open my old vault. It contains several relics from before my...banishment.” Luna tried to keep her voice steady as she spoke, but the girls noticed the slight tremor in it. “My sister,” she continued, “thought that Twilight would be interested in seeing the contents, so I invited her to join me, and quickly this quick trip became a small expedition.”
“Ooh yeah,” Pinkie said, already becoming distracted by the foliage, which she, Twilight and Fluttershy began conversing about, whilst Rarity and Luna discussed the latest fashions in Canterlot. They carried on walking through the imposing, yet uneventful, forest until the castle eventually loomed into view.
"Luna, what exactly are we expecting to find?" Rarity asked, but Luna was staring at the castle, oblivious to her surroundings. "Princess?"
"Hum? Oh, sorry, Rarity, it's just that there are a lot of memories here," Luna said, turning to her friend. "Not many of them are pleasant."
Twilight walked over and put a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "It's okay Luna, the past is behind us, and instead of focusing on it we should focus on the now, for it is these moments that matter."
"That's very wise of you, Twilight," Luna said, gazing at the lavender unicorn.
Twilight blushed and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. "Well, to be honest, Princess, I read it in a book,"
Luna laughed, before Pinkie bounded over to the pair. "Group hug!” she yelled as she tackled the Princess to the ground, before pulling Twilight down with her. A moment later, Fluttershy and Rarity were pulled into the pile of ponies, where they all lay on the ground giggling, or in Rarity's case shrieking about the dirt in her mane.
After a few moments, Luna disentangled herself from the pile and stood up. “Well, that was certainly refreshing. Now then, what was your question, Rarity? I’m afraid I got a little distracted.” She gave a sheepish grin.
Rarity had pulled a brush out of her saddlebags and was in the process of fixing her ruined coiffure. "Well, I was just wondering what you expect to find in the castle."
Luna grinned. "The unexpected, of course."
"Pardon?"
"Expect the unexpected," Luna explained. "It's something Star Swirl always said. It was his way of saying 'be prepared for anything'. Of course, he was a seer, so nothing ever surprised him."
"I didn't know Star Swirl was a seer," Twilight said.
"It wasn't common knowledge whilst he was alive, but he wrote many prophecies, including the one about my return," Luna explained. "Anyway, the proper answer to your question is that I don't know. Nightmare Moon hid many memories from me. I didn't even remember having a private vault until my sister reminded me, let alone what's in it."
The group of friends stared at the castle in contemplative thought for a few moments, before Pinkie strode forwards.
"Well, we won't find out what's in it if we don't look, right?" she said, looking back.
"Wise words indeed," Luna replied, joining her, the others following. They walked into the castle and through the winding corridors, Luna pointing out the uses of the old, abandoned rooms they walked past, before arriving in a bare room. Luna looked around and sighed dejectedly.
"This used to be my room," she said. "It was here that I first became Nightmare Moon."
The girls surrounded Luna in a more sedate hug, comforting her. Luna tilted her head, a silent thanks, before moving away to one of the walls.
"It should be here," she said, placing her long horn against the wall. There was a flash of blue magic and the grey wall rippled, an obsidian doorway emerging. Luna stood back and admired it.
"After you, Luna," Twilight said, indicating to the doorway. Luna pushed against the door and entered the vault. The others made to follow, but hastened when they heard a scream.
"Princess!" Rarity yelled as she and the girls burst into the room after her, only to find Luna cradling a teddy ursa.
"Look!" she exclaimed. "It's Mr Snuggles! I thought I’d lost him forever!"
Rarity and Twilight shot each other a concerned look, whilst Fluttershy and Pinkie tried to stifle their giggles.
“Aww, Mr Snuggles is so cute!” Fluttershy said, failing to hide her giggle. In moments, all four ponies were laughing.
Luna glared at the four ponies, before sighing and putting her toys down. "He was a gift from my mother, okay?"
"Your mother?" Rarity asked, glancing at Twilight, who shrugged.
"Yes, the great Faust herself," Luna said, lost in her memories.
"Who?" asked Twilight, bringing Luna back to the present.
"Faust, creator of Equestria and the three pony races? Mother of the Royal Alicorn Sisters?" Luna shouted in shock. The girls fell to the floor reflexively. "I am appalled! How can you not know this?! Especially you, Twilight. Your education has been severely lacking if you don't even recognise her name."
"I'm sorry, Princess," Twilight said, shaking from her position on the floor. Luna finally realised she had been shouting.
"Don't be, Twilight," she said, sighing. "It is not your fault if Celestia chose not to teach you about her. Although I will be having words with my sister about this...oversight."
The girls picked themselves up and looked around the room for the first time.
"It's huge!" Rarity stared at the high arched obsidian walls that reached as high as the throne room back at Canterlot, lined with tall shelves stacked with books, desks scattered through the room covered with scrolls, whilst cabinets and display cases filled with curios and relics were dotted across the room. Stained glass windows decorated one wall, the late afternoon sun illuminating the depictions of various constellations, whilst the far end of the room was hidden behind several rows of cabinets and bookcases. Twilight wandered over to a bookshelf and raised a hoof to pull one down, but a shout from Luna stopped her.
"Don't touch those!"
"Why, are they dangerous?" Twilight asked, pulling her hoof back sharply.
"No," said Luna, looking sheepish. "Its just that the blue bound books are my personal diaries."
"Wait, all of them?" Twilight asked, gazing at bookshelves. About a quarter of the books in the room had the distinctive blue binding.
"Yes. Each one contains about twenty years worth of memories," Luna said, examining a scroll on a desk. Twilight staggered, comprehending for the first time just how old the Alicorn was. "Come look at this," she called from across the room, already focused on the next find.
"What is it?" Fluttershy asked as she approached.
"It's a star chart," Twilight answered, frowning. "But I don't recognise any of the constellations."
Luna laughed. "You wouldn't, I never had a chance to make this. It was going to be the new day sky after Nightmare Moon took over. I balanced the brightness of the stars to be visible with a brighter than normal moon, so that the plants we rely on could survive despite the eternal night."
“Oh. I always wondered how you intended to deal with the plants.” Twilight said. Suddenly she looked up in horror. “I mean Nightmare Moon, not you!” she stammered out.
Luna smiled gently “It's okay, Twilight. In some ways, Nightmare Moon and myself were the same pony. I’m not going to be angry with you over a slip of the tongue.”
“Hey, what’s this?” Pinkie called, pointing at what appeared to be a painting underneath a cloth sheet.
"No, it couldn't be..." Luna whispered as she approached it.
“Couldn't be what?” Pinkie asked. Instead of waiting for an answer, she pulled the cover off, revealing a large painting depicting three figures, eliciting a gasp from the four girls. Two of the figures were the ever familiar Celestia and Luna, as radiant and divine as always, but it was the third figure who caught their attention— a leaf green alicorn, her mane all the colours of nature, a tree as her cutie mark.
“Who...Who is that?” Rarity asked in wonder.
“The second Royal Pony Sister, and my elder sister, Gaia,” Luna said, gazing lovingly at the painting. “Celestia is the oldest, Alicorn of the sun, I am the youngest, Alicorn of the moon, and Gaia is the Alicorn of the earth.”
Twilight moved to Luna’s side. “I’ve never heard of her.”
“It is a long story, and best heard from the beginning,” Luna said. The girls settled on the floor, getting comfortable. “It all began when Mother created everything. First she created the world, the sun and the moon, and then the spirits and the mortal races. Afterwards, she created myself and my sisters, in order to rule and guide her ponies in peace. To aid us, she crafted the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight gave an exclamation at this, but Luna ignored her, lost in her memories. “I bore the elements of Laughter and Generosity, Celestia bore Magic and Kindness, and Gaia carried the elements of Honesty and Loyalty. For thousands of years, we ruled in peace and happiness.” Luna paused in her tale to wipe away a tear. “Then came Discord.” Another gasp, this time from all four girls.
“We waged a war against him that lasted generations. We were all affected by him, but Gaia was hurt most. You saw what he did to the ground, to the trees, to the weather—to nature itself.” Twilight and Rarity nodded, Luna’s sadness reflected in their eyes. “The world around us is what Gaia is attuned to, much like my moon or Celestia’s sun. Each time that monster twisted the world, it was my sister who suffered most. Eventually, we won and sealed him away in stone, but the damage was done. Gaia was broken, in heart and in soul. Abandoning her elements, she told us that she wanted to be forgotten and left alone. The moment she persuaded us to hide her existence, she left into self imposed exile, never to be seen again. Celestia took the element of Honesty, and I took the element of Loyalty.” Luna gave a sour laugh. “Ironic, considering that I would later become Nightmare Moon and betray my sister.”
“Princess, I... I don't know what to say...” Twilight said. “Do you... Know where she is?”
Luna shook her head. “No, neither myself or Celestia know where she has hidden herself. We do know, however, that she is alive, and possibly not alone.”
“How do you know?” Rarity asked.
“Cadance is her daughter,” Luna answered simply. She quickly raised a hoof to stop anymore questions. “I am sorry, but that is not my story to tell. In truth, you shouldn't even know this much, but I have already betrayed one sister.”
“I am sure your sister wouldn’t mind us knowing like this,” Rarity said. “And we promise not to tell anyone?”
“Of course! Your secret is safe with us, Princess.”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”
“Thank you, girls. Your good friends, all of you.”
The five mares just sat together in silence as the sunlight faded from the room, the sun dipping behind the canopy of the forest.
Twilight looked out the window, concerned at how late it was. “Princess, I hope that you don’t intend for us to walk back in the dark?”
Luna raised an eyebrow as she looked at Twilight. “You have walked through the forest at night before, if I recall correctly.”
“Yes, well, then it was an emergency, and there were all six of us then,” Twilight stammered.
“And this time you have the immortal goddess of the night to guide you.” Luna looked at Twilight solemnly for a moment, before cracking a smile. “I tease, Twilight. It will be easy enough for me to teleport you back home. It was only teleporting to the castle that was prevented, after all.”
“Oh, good.” Twilight nodded. “I don’t want to leave Spike by himself all night.”
Luna stood up and wandered over to one of the shelves. “Come on, we still have a hour or so before we need to go back. Lets continue exploring, shall we?”
Twilight stood up with the rest of the girls and wandered off, following a bookshelf down the room, picking out books at random. Defensive Magical Theory, Asiatic Anti-Venoms, Charm Your Own Cheese? Twilight thought. Luna has an...interesting taste in literature. As Twilight walked further down the room, wandering through the maze of bookshelves, cabinets and piles of curios the sounds of her friends diminished before fading away entirely, lost in the massive vault.
Twilight's eyes fell upon a large wooden chest, nestled between a bookcase and an armour stand. Carved into the top of the lid was a symbol Twilight instantly recognised. That's Star Swirl's cutie mark! This chest couldn't belong to him...could it?
Trotting excitedly over to the chest, she ran a hoof over the elaborate carving, a giddy laugh escaping her throat. It is! This must hold some personal items of Star Swirl the Bearded! Twilight danced with joy, hopping from one hoof to the other. I wonder if it holds spell books? Or maybe ancient artifacts? His personal diary?
Calming herself, she placed her hoofs against the lid and pushed. To her surprise, the chest was unlocked and smoothly opened. Inside, lying on a bed of green Pegasus feathers, where thirteen black stones, each one with a silver rune inscribed on them.
I recognise these runes! Twilight thought as she examined them There Classical Equine! That one means fire, whilst that is the rune for water. And this one means shield. But why do they have these markings on them? She reached with a hoof and tapped one of the stones. Flight, huh? Suddenly, a bright, white light shone from the stone, blinding Twilight, causing her to stagger backwards. When the light diminshed, she saw that all thirteen stones where hovering in front of her. Without warning, twelve of them flew off, smashing through one of the windows, the sound of shattering glass filling the room.
"Twilight!" Luna cried from the other end of the room. "Are you okay?"
Twilight turned to answer, but a plusing light from the last stone, the one she had touched, captured her attention. A second pulse, brighter than the first, flared, and when it died down the stone was gone. In its place was a shining white bird, as majestic as a phoenix and as large as Princess Celestia. Twilight stared in amazement as it swooped around the high arched ceiling, its wings scraping against the walls. She could her Luna yelling something behind her, but it was lost in the loud, beautiful calls of the bird.
It gave one final cry before diving, claws extended, a predatory gleam in its eyes, towards Twilight.
