Let Nature Take Its Course

Luna woke up the next morning to an all to familiar singsong voice. As Celestia stepped into the her room, Luna sat up and began to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"Good morning, little sister." Celestia said, as she walked to the window and opened the shades.

She squinted her eyes to the bright sun her sister had risen just a few minutes before.

"Hey." Luna answered gloomily.

She knew what awaited her today, another day of hell. Celestia turned around to her, instantly picking up on Luna's emotions. "What is it my sister?" Celestia asked.

Luna instantly began to pour out everything. "I don't like that place, I hate it! Everyone makes fun of me and I hate it!" she cried, her eyes welling up with water.

"I know." her big sister answered her regretfully.

"What?" Luna asked, "You know?"

"Look, I--" Celestia began, but she was quickly overruled.

"You knew what I would go through and you sent me there anyway? How could you do this to me?" Luna screamed. There was a short silence and then Luna hit a revelation she thought was absolutely true. "You hate me." she said, staring at her betrayer, tears streaming down her face.

Celestia's usually calm demeanor was suddenly broken as she shot a very serious glare into Luna's eyes.

"Now you listen to me." she said in a strong, stern voice, "Yes, I sent you there. Yes, I knew what would happen. But don't you ever say that I don't love you."

Luna was stunned. She had never had her sister talk to her this sternly. Never. She hung her head down, ashamed of the accusations she made. "I-I'm so sorry." she said, crying.

"It's fine. I would've acted the same way if I was your age." her sister answered her sitting on the bed next to her, once again using her soft sweet voice, wiping tears from her little sister's face, "In fact, I almost did when I finally found out."

Luna looked up at her with a mixed expression of surprise and worry. "Wait, you mean..." Luna began. But Celestia confirmed her hypothesis.

"Yes, little sister. I have been in the same situation you are in now. It was terrible. They were so cruel to me." she paused, lost in thought, in terrible memories. "But the truth is, it has been this way for thousands and thousands of years, even before I ruled Equestria. Every ruler was required to go to a public school for at least their first three years of grade school." she explained.

"But why?" Luna asked.

"Well, they believe if we spend time with our subjects, we can better understand what they need, and how we can become better rulers." Celestia finished.

"But is it really that necessary?" Luna asked, hoping that it wasn't.

"Maybe, maybe not, but it is tradition, and we have never broken it." Celestia said getting up from the bed. "Now, get up and get ready. And I hope this conversation helped."

"Not really." Luna answered.

"Well, maybe this will. I was alone but I made a friend. She got me through it all. Remember this, sister; Forgiveness and friends who fight for you, are some of the world's greatest treasures." Celestia said.

"Forgiveness and friends who fight for you?" Luna asked.

"That's right. You can't think of anyone that might be your friend? Not one person?" she asked.

That's when Luna's thoughts snapped back to the colt from yesterday. How could she forget about him?

"Well, there is this one boy that I met yesterday. I think he could work." Luna answered, her disposition brightening.

"That's my girl. Find a friend and you'll be fine, trust me." she told her nuzzling her little sister lovingly, "Now hurry up or you'll miss your chariot." She walked out her bedroom leaving Luna to her business.

Luna knew that her big sister was right. Among other things, Celestia's advice was above the standard when it came to problems that Luna faced. She could never figure out how, but whenever something was wrong, she knew how to fix it with words. Somehow, someway Luna could always count on the wisdom of her sister, and this time would be no different. Luna walked into her bathroom and began to run her bathwater. She ran a hoof underneath the faucet and pleasantly warm water ran off of it. She bathed and brushed her hair and her coat, taking extra care to look nice today. After that, she raced back to her room and put on her saddlebags full of her schoolbooks.

The whole time she replayed over and over again in her mind what her sister had said: Forgiveness and friends who fight for you are some of the world's greatest treasures. She thought of the little green colt from yesterday. He did look strong for a colt, so she guessed that he would be able to fight. And after what he said to her the night before, she definitely forgave him for what ever it was he did. So he seemed like a liable choice for a friend. With all new determination, Luna galloped to the chariot lot, actually looking forward to the day. Not so much for the school or the bullies, but for the little green colt who she knew would be her friend, who would make her life so much better. After all, he did call her pretty. So it was pretty much guaranteed. She raced to the chariot and jumped in.

"WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR LET'S GO!" she hollered at the two pegasus ponies who were harnessed to the chariot. Startled, the two quickly took off into the sky towards the school.

The wind whipped through her mane and her eyes were watering up from the wind. She let out a laugh so happy that her sister would've smiled for hours.

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath, "Here we go." And as she flew towards the school, she knew that this would be the best day of her life.