They were looking into each other's eyes trying to figure out something what they could say or do, but the broken mare turned away from the Princess of the Moon and tears escaped her eyes.
Since she has never seen the other mare crying before, Luna wanted to hug her as much as she could while they were laying in the grass, but the clock ticked inside Luna and she looked upon the sky.
Half of the sun was already under the horizon so it's time for her to attend in Canterlot, even if she wanted to, she couldn't stay any longer with her and the other mare know it as well. While she was looking at the sky her love stood up, turned away and headed towards the Everfree Forest, before Luna realized it, she completly dissapeared, but the wind carried her voice.
"Luna, I'm sorry, you know where to find me, if you want to."
She was looking at the forest for a couple of seconds then opened her wings and jumped in the air. On her way to Canterlot, she was thinking about her life's last year and all the things what they did and how much fun they had, but she lied to her. Every moment they spent together was a lie, who knows for how long.
Before she landed next to Celestia and the her surrounding ponies, the bearers of the element of harmony, forced a smile on her face.
"Hello everypony, did I miss anything?"
During the party Luna always stayed in the back without looking for anypony's company, but when the party finished and she was heading back to the throne room which was cleared and fixed then she heard Twilight's voice calling for her from the back so she stopped.
"Princess Luna."
When she heard Twilight arrived, she looked back from the corner of her eye.
"Can I ask you something, personal?"
"Perhaps some other time, Twilight Sparkle."
Before Twilight would ask anything else she saw a drop fell on the floor. Twilight was watching as Luna continued her way to the throne. laying down on it and looking outside one of the windows at the moon while some tears still escaping her eyes.
Even if Twilight wanted to help somehow to the Princess of the Moon she didn't know what to say, after all she didn't know much about her. She was looking at the sad alicorn for a while then turned away and left her.
Once again she was alone, after a year from the moment they met. Luna found something inside her what she didn't in anypony else. She was always there when she needed somepony to tell her problems or what's been bothering her, but now. It kind of makes sense the last month she became desperate, but Luna ignored her when she needed her the most, she turned her back. She never thought it was her who made the treat against Canterlot, not even in her nightmares which haunting her almost every night. She asked her so many times to talk to Celestia, but when there were only the two of them Luna never had the courage to open her mouth. After all what happened in the last few weeks, how can she say it was her fault since it wasn't.
Celestia was always there if Luna needed her, she asked so many times if she can help her in any way yet, she stayed quiet about it, about everything. Luna let out a sigh and turned her head away from the giant silver orb. When she looked down on the ground saw a white hoof ending in a golden shoe on the red carpet.
She raised her head to see her sister standing a couple hoof away from the throne looking at her like she is digging deep in her thoughts, but it's impossible after all Luna always clouded her mind in front of her sister. There was still a little burn at the tip of her horn. Would she forget Chrysalis for what she did to her?, can she ask the ponies to live with the changelings together what happened today?
She failed Chrysalis, the only mare who ever loved her who was there for her yet she failed to ask a couple of simple questions from her sister because she was afraid about the outcome, but not anymore. She took a deep breath, looked into her sister's eyes and opened her mouth.
"Tia, we need to talk."
"I'm not sure if words will be enough for this conversation."
The white alicorn stepped closer and bowed down in front of her sister offering her horn. Luna stood up, prepared the spell which she needed then crossed her horn with Celestia's and it began.
It was one of their usual fights about Luna should take care of her responsibilities as Princess of the Night, after all she regained her powers and returned more than a year ago. Luna opened her wings and flew away the cold winter night. She landed in front of the ruins their old castle in the Everfree forest to emerge in her old memories while they were only foals. Celestia was always the reponsible one and Luna the trouble maker, dreamer, but a noise from the forest behind her disrupted her.
"Step out."
The dark creature obeyed and slowly step out into the moonlight.
"Princess."
She bowed in front of Luna, her whole body was filled with holes even her horn and wings. Luna never seen a creature like that before, but for some reason she felt sorry for the creature. After a couple of steps toward the creature who was taller than her she reached out with her front hoof and helped her up.
"What's your name and what happened with your body?"
The creature let out small and short laugh then looked into Luna's eyes.
"So you don't remember, after what you have done with my race as Nightmare Moon."
"What are you talking about?"
"While you were Nightmare Moon, she tried to extinct my race, my name is Chrysalis, Queen of the changelings in the Everfree forest."
When Luna heard what the changeling said, she took a couple of steps behind and her face turned to pale like she would see Nightmare Moon.
"Impossible."
"Chrysalis are you here to have your revenge on me?"
"Princess please, I don't held you reponsible what happened in the past, I can feel she is not inside of you anymore and you are kind spirit so it would be foolish from me to do so.
She lifted her hoof towards Luna who placed her own on it. They were looking into each others eyes for a long minute before breaking the touch. Now finally she understood why was that feeling inside her towards the unknown creature, even if she doesn't remember it, what she did while Nightmare was occupying her. Luna tried to turn away and hide the ashamed look on her face, but Chrysalis stopped her.
"I also feel you are lonely, but why is that, ponies aren't suppose to feel like that yet there is something clouding your heart."
She removed the changeling's hoof which held her face then turned around.
"I don't know what are you talking about."
Before she teleported herself back to the Moon, the voice of the changeling queen appeared in her head.
"Don't lie to me or yourself."
Luna speeded up her memories, but transferred everything which she found important yet she didn't meet with the queen of the changelings in that one month period so often only a couple of times and they didn't talk much. Most of the time they spent together in silence, since each others presence was enough.
She stopped it after Nightmare Night before returning to the castle and take on her duties.
Everypony already went to sleep after the party ended around midnight and Luna had to agree, this night was truly wonderful thanks to Twilight Sparkle who helped her get along with the citizens of Ponyville and thought her how to have fun. She was laying in front of the stone statue of Nightmare Moon rolling a candy under her hoof.
Ever since they met and the time they spent even only by looking at one another, Luna could feel a bond forming between them yet there was something bothering her from the moment she found out the changelings are alive. How could she not remember for what she did and what kind of other things did Nightmare Moon hid from her.
Nightmare promised her that she won't do anything what Luna didn't want to and this was definitely something what she would say no to. What kind of other dark secrets she hid from her and why doesn't she remember those. Luna closed her eyes and placed her head on her front hooves.
"How long?"
"Less than ten minutes."
"You could say something."
"Nah, I didn't want to disrupt you while you searching deep in your memories."
Luna turned around with a surprised look on her face to face with the queen of the changelings who was standing right behind her.
"How do you know what I was doing?"
She moved closer to the princess then laid down next to her in the same position, Luna was following Chrysalis's every move while she arrived next to her then looked forward at the statue once again. After a couple of minutes passed in silence, Luna thought she will never get an answer to her question.
"We feed on other's love."
Her voice was calm as she said those words, but Luna could feel the sadness behind it. Even if the Queen didn't want to do it, they had to live like this no matter what.
"Therefore it's necessary to know what's in ponies mind and we can read anypony's like a book."
Chrysalis was waiting for the same reaction what happens all the time whenever somepony find out what are they capable of or what they need to do to survive, but she got the opposite from the other Princess of Equestria. Luna opened her right wing and placed it over the changeling queen.
"Chrysalis."
"Yes Luna?"
"Why are you really here?"
The presence of the changeling gave her something what she couldn't put into words and what she didn't feel for such a long time yet it scared her. After all the creature who is laying right next to her should be an enemy of Equestria and her sister, because the way the live. Of course it's not their fault, it's nature's cruel joke.
"Would you like me to leave?"
Chrysalis stood up and Luna placed back her wing onto her side, they were looking into each other's eyes for almost a minute, while the moon on the night sky moved to a position which lit up the the small open field inside the forest. Luna reach out with one of her hoof and placed it on the Queen's.
"No."
While Luna was sharing the memories with Celestia, the white alicorn could feel her sister's heart beat rate increased, but she didn't know if it's caused by the memory or the fact that the truth of her where about is revealed in front of her, because Celestia now knows it was a lie what Luna told her that night, but it wasn't the only lie which will Celestia learn in the end and Luna was aware of that as well.
A night Luna was sitting on the throne with her eyes closed, trying to remember things about what happened in that short period after she turned into Nightmare Moon. She found plenty of gaps in her memory which couldn't be filled. The one who could answer her questions was no more and Celestia suffered enough because of them so Luna didn't want to torture her asking about it. She let out a sigh so can let go of these troubling thoughts and it got replaced by Chrysalis, the queen of the changelings, she started to develop certain feelings about her which was another thing what she couldn't sort out.
After the curtains closed and Luna looked over all the happy ponies who were clapping for the bearers of the element of harmony who played the cosplay. Luna's thought slipped to the queen of the changeling, she stood up and started to walk away, but her sister stopped her.
"Luna is there something wrong?"
She few tears escaped her eye, but she hid them with her magic before Celestia could see them. Chrysalis and her hive they are all alone in the Everfree forest, but why, they are not that different, they don't deserve to live like some horrible monsters. It's not their fault that they feed on love and what if they are, they don't hurt anypony with that.
While Luna was crying the same emotions hit Celestia and her eyes teared up as well which made her broke the contact between their horns. She turned away from her little sister and it took Celestia a few minutes to calm herself and clear her eyes. Celestia turned her head back to Luna and they were looking at each other speechless then Luna offered her horn to Celestia who leaned forward so they can continue.
"No."
Before Celestia could ask or say anything else, Luna walked out. Luna was flying towards the forest when she realized something what made her slow down. How is she going to find her, everytime when they met, it was her who found Luna and not the other way around. She landed at the border of the forest while she figure out something better than just using the royal canterlot voice and let the whole forest hear her.
She entered the forest walking towards the ruins of the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters, hoping Chrysalis might be there since it was the one stop where they first met, and almost every time as well. When Luna needed her to talk to or for something else she came there. She crossed the bridge which lead her to the entrance of the ruins and laid down in front of it.
It was a way colder winter night than any other. It wasn't snowing or blowing a strong wind, but the temperature was way below freezing point. In the end after almost an hour waiting Luna fell asleep. Before she could open her eyes, she felt a warm body and hooves wrapping around her own and she was laying somewhere in a warm place. She dug herself deeper into the other pony to make herself comfortable.
"Tia, I'm sorry for leaving like that."
A smile appeared on the other ponies face and giggled. When Luna heard the voice which couldn't belong to her sister she opened her eyes. The black fur and a hoof which had a couple of holes on it was enough for her to identify the changeling. She turned her head around so she can look into her eyes.
"Chrysalis, I."
"Sh, I know."
Luna was laying in the changeling's hooves for almost another hour when Chrysalis pulled away and stood up.
"You don't need to worry about us nor that we are lonely. We have been living like this for almost a thousand years now."
Luna stood up and faced with the changeling.
"But I do."
Chrysalis's horn began to glow which lit up the cave as well in a green light where they were staying and she formed an object in front of her from dust. She levitated it in front of Luna.
"Whenever you need me just channel a little magical burst into it and I'll know exactly where are you."
Luna took the object and attached it at the back of her tiara.
"I have to go now, take care Luna."
Luna shot a warm smile at the changeling queen.
"Thank you Chrysalis, you too."
The next important memory which Luna choose to show her sister in every little detail was Heart's and Hooves's night.
Once again Luna closed the castle's throne room just a couple of minutes later she raised the moon, in front of any visitor or anypony else who would come and left it. She arrived to their usual meeting point and channelled some magic into the device which glowed everytime in green light when it got activated. Luna was waiting a bit more than usual for the queen's arrival.
"Hello Luna."
She turned around with a huge smile on her face which froze on it then completly dissapeared from it when she laid her eyes on the changeling queen. Plenty of bloody scares adorned her body and some of them were still bleeding. Which meant to be a happy night, it turned into a real nightmare for Luna.
"What happened, Are you alright?"
Chrysalis turned away.
"Nothing."
A small smile appeared on Luna's worrying face while walked closer to Chrysalis so she can whisper into her ear.
"Who is lying now."
She stepped next to the changeling and lowered her horn to her injuries, after a couple seconds later Luna closed and healed every wounds on her body. She nuzzled her face to the changeling's then teleported the anklet which she made at one of her front hoof with the Luna's cutie mark on it. She took a step back and a blush appeared on her face.
"If you want you can turn it to invisible."
"Thank you, for everything Luna, but why would I do that."
"Your hive?"
Chrysalis raised Luna's head with her hoof which got the princess's gift on it so she can look into her eyes.
"Would you like to see it?, I know it's probably not the best place for what you wanted to do tonight, but."
"I'd like to."
They were walking side by side in the forest for almost twenty minutes till they arrived to a cave's entrance where a changeling stood. After the salute for his Queen, the smile dissapeared from his face when Princess Luna appeared behind her. Luna could feel the guard following with her look the whole time while she was in her sight.
At the bottom of the cave Chrysalis stepped out in the light and a couple changeling fillies attacked her hooves, but Luna stayed behind in the dark. The queen turned around.
"Luna."
A few more seconds passed before she stepped forward, some of the fillies ran away, back to their parents, few stayed near Chrysalis. After the couple of awkward seconds passed two changeling filly took a look at each other and tentatively started to walk to the Princess of the Moon. Luna kneeled down on the ground for the two approaching little ones.
"Hi there."
After they nuzzled with Luna's neck and fore hooves, both of them dug themselves into the dark blue fur. The brother's mother took a couple of steps towards the princess worrying about her foals, but she stopped after Chrysalis placed a hoof on her. A minute later both changeling stood up and ran back to their mother, but one of them stopped half way, turned back to Luna and smiled at her who returned it and stood up. Every changeling in the hive was watching Luna who walked next to their Queen and they made their way to the where Chrysalis usually stays when she is in the hive.
Chrysalis was facing with the wall of the place, lowered her head then hit it with one of her front hoof. Luna opened her mouth to say something, but instead of her words she walked to the Queen and placed her wing around the taller creature. She turned her head away from Luna so she couldn't see her face, but she saw the tears dropping on the dirt.
"Chrysalis?"
She gently forced Chrysalis with her hoof to look at her. They were holding the eye contact for a minute then Luna leaned forward and kissed the changeling. She broke the kiss which she started almost a minute before.
"I love you."
Before Luna could kiss her again, but Chrysalis stopped her and turned away.
"Luna this won't end well, you know it."
She lowered her head to Chrysalis's then placed a kiss on her cheek and another on her lips.
Less than month before the wedding's day Luna spent her night with Chrysalis. They were laying on the grass cuddled, looking at the beautiful night sky when the changeling queen broke the silence between them.
"Do you think we can live together?"
Luna raised her head from the Queen's chest to look into her eyes while she was smiling.
"Of course."
She wanted to kiss her love, but Chrysalis was faster than her and asked something else.
"I didn't mean only us, do you think your sister would let us changelings live among ponies?"
Luna was giving plenty of time to this thought since she learned a lot about the changeling and she didn't see any problem with it. They feed on love, so what, everypony else need it as well for some point, why should they treat them like monsters. They look a little scary it's true, but they have a heart just like anypony else and if they would get to know them, Luna was sure they could live together no matter how different they are. But before all this, Luna knew that she need to have long conversation with her sister.
"I believe so, but this choice is not only mine."
"Would you ask her?"
"Yes."
During the next week Luna was asking her sister couple of times of her time so they can talk about something important, but when it came to the moment to reveal the truth, she backed down, always came up with something else, with lies and not only to her, to Chrysalis as well. When they met maybe the changeling Queen could feel that something weird about Luna, but she didn't say anything about it. When she asked Luna time to time what did Celestia say, she always came up with excuses that she didn't have time to talk with her.
Two weeks before the wedding, it was Celestia who asked Luna to stay around every night for a while since somepony made a treat against Canterlot. For a week she was staying in the city every night and returned to the Moon for sleeping during the day, since she couldn't look into Chrysalis's eyes and tell her that she is not able to tell her sister everything and ask a single question.
A week before the wedding Celestia sent out the invitations to it. The night a night guard bowed in front of Luna and pulled a black letter under her armor. She opened it while sitting in the throne and read the only word which was in the letter.
"Private"
Luna asked the other guards to close the main gate and she walked away with the guard who carried the letter in her room. The moment when Luna closed the door, the guard turned into a changeling.
"Princess Luna our Queen would you like to talk with you at the ruins of the old Castle."
Luna created a clone of herself with her magic then teleported herself and the changeling out from the city. When she arrived at the old castle of the royal pony sisters, Chrysalis was already there waiting for her. She was laying in front of the castle looking at the moon, before Luna could say anything the changeling probably felt her presence behind her and preceded Luna.
"I missed you and I don't want that something like that would stand between us."
She know exactly what she meant about "that" and Luna laid down cuddling with the changeling.
"I'm sorry."
They kissed each other and Luna wanted more, but Chrysalis stopped her.
"Would you come with me away from everything for a week?" "Only the two of us, without being who we are."
Luna without hesitating even for a second answered.
"Yes."
Since the treat has been made against Canterlot during this week she didn't see any evidence that would prove anypony would like to do anything against the city. She went back to Canterlot to make her clone even more alike so Celestia wouldn't recognize anything during that short amount of time when they meet then went back to the changeling queen.
They were spending the night together just like any other since they left behind their crown. This time they were on the Moon where Luna showed Chrysalis the castle of the royal pony sisters which she rebuilt on the moon with her magic. They were embracing their love when Luna felt a large magical power burst from the planet below her. Chrysalis tried to stop her and make her stay, but she couldn't. Luna rushed outside and saw the pink bubble extending around Canterlot. The next thing she saw number of changelings being washed away from Canterlot among them Chrysalis which was impossible since she was here behind her. When she turned around to question her love she wasn't there anymore, she was an ordinary changeling nothing else. The changeling was facing with the ground.
"I'm sorry Princess Luna, I was only fulfilling my Queen's orders."
She teleported herself and the changeling down to the surface where Chrysalis was laying powerless and hurt and the border of the Everfree forest. When Chrysalis saw her love coming towards her she turned away ashamed. She stepped to the Queen and laid down on her side. They were laying side by side for almost an hour long, but neither of them could look at the another or say anything. Luna's horn fleshed and the scares what the landing caused healed on Chrysalis's body.
"We didn't hurt anypony, you know I'd never let that happen."
"I don't know what to think anymore."
Chrysalis kissed Luna on her cheek which made her turn to the queen and look into her eyes.
"I'm sorry Luna."
Chrysalis's eyes teared up and Luna looked up on the sky, when she turned back her love disappeared.
"Luna, I'm sorry, you know where to find me, if you want to."
When the spell was finished and the memories ended Celestia stepped away from her sister then she let out a sigh.
"Tia?"
She raised her hoof to stop Luna who raised one of her hoof to approach Celestia.
"Just let me think."
Luna was looking at her sister for a couple minutes, but she was still wearing that troubled look on her face so she turned away as well. After a couple of steps, she heard Celestia let out a sigh which made her stop and look at her. From the corner of her eye she saw Luna looking at her, Celestia shook her head.
"I still can't believe how could I be so blind once again. I'm sorry that you still don't feel like that you can trust me with whatever happens with you to tell me."
Luna could feel her eyes tearing up, but she didn't want to hold them back.
"Tia it's not your fault, I."
Celestia closed the space between them and placed a hoof on her sister's lips before she could continue, then put it back on the ground and hugged her while her eyes got wet as well.
"You don't have to say anything."
They were holding the hug for minutes long before breaking it and Luna turned away her head.
"I love her so much."
Celestia turned her sister's face back so she can look into her eyes.
"Don't be ashamed about it" She smiled at Luna. After a the short eye contact Celestia turned around and headed to the main entrance.
"Where are you going?"
"The changeling hive and have a conversation with Chrysalis, the rest will be her choice, but your memories already showed me her answer so don't worry about it, we will be back in no time."
"Thank you."
She smiled at her sister who returned it before teleporting away to the changeling hive.
