A thousand years, or rather nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, fourteen hours, twenty nine minutes and thirty…No, forty seconds. That is the precise amount of time that has passed since that day.
Or shall I say, night. Once upon a time, in the magical world of Equestria, there lived two princesses. I’m sure you all have heard this tale, the story of how the two alicorns got into a fight, then the older one banished her sister into the moon for a millennium. That's all you heard.
What you were not told was the events. My sister, my dear sister, I was blind. Luna wanted attention, or rather recognition for what she does every night. What does her ever so special only sister do? She turns her aside, taking her woes like those of childish desire.
Yes, being princess is far more about making sure the kingdom stays orderly then it is about fame and other petty things. Yet it is not asking much to have proper credit for what you do, especially when you see your sister Tia get so much praise when no one so much as notices your existence.
But what would I know? I was never ignored. I've always been in some conference, or meeting or traveling to some part of my country. Ponies bow before me every time I walk down the Canterlot halls. What would a stupid pretty pony princess know of longing when she always has been surrounded by admiring peers?
I know it now, of course. Sadly now is far too late. Luna is gone, has been for nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, fourteen hours, thirty three minutes and eleven seconds as of me writing this.
Admittedly I have a tendency to write rather slowly, but with all this time to kill what need do I have to write this note promptly? I even have all these royal trinkets next to me as I do so such as a fine cup of steaming tea, a fragrance candle, this phoenix quill that I'm currently writing with, and whatever other small things.
Why am I even writing this? It's not like anyone will see this, and what is the point of stories if they are never heard? It's like keeping a diary of sorts. Sure, sometimes you want to remember things yet do not want them publicly revealed, but what is the point of keeping a story hidden? It's a story after all; in good fiction there are secrets of that world revealed to the reader that often provide little to no use to such person. Diaries tend to be the same if showed to somepony anonymously. I wonder if my sister ever had a diary, as in a story I should know of. No pony’s story is not worth hearing after all.
Nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, fourteen hours, forty five minutes and twenty eight seconds. That's a mouthful. Takes me around seven whole seconds just to read it. Of course, what is time to an immortal, a being that lives outside of time’s grip?
Well conversely, time does have as much meaning to me as does mortals, if not more. You see, I assume that the one who reads this will one day have to meet the hooded stallion sometime within a century.
Oh, I'll say it bluntly, they will die. No pony ever seems to ever say it just as it is, masking it with other phrases much like they do with sexual terms where the pony may not even know what “it” exactly means but knows that it refers to the fact that they are mating. Oh well, I guess it's more creative to say things in different ways then to say out right.
Oh dear me I seem to have gotten off topic again. Why do I keep doing that?…Don't answer that yourself Tia, at least not yet.
Back on the topic of time. You may think that an immortal of all things would not care about time, but this is not true. Well, kind of. It more so depends on the creature itself. No, not necessarily the species, but the thought process.
To help explain my point, I'll take the viewpoint of a mortal. Mortal, it always seems like you have to sputter that word out like it was an insult! I hate words like that.
Anyway, take the life span of a normal being. If lucky, one may live to be up to a century old, yet still their life can rush past them. However, if you ever had to wait for something I'm sure you know how long time can drag on.
For example, a simple hour is quite a small portion of time compared to the average pony life, yet if you are doing something like traversing a cavern an hour can feel like days, and days could feel like weeks, and so forth. If you are listening to your favorite kinds of music, an hour can fly past you without you so much as noticing.
Basically, it's as a wise brown earth pony once told me, “Some people, or ponies, live more in 20 years then others do in 80."
Think of it yourself. You may live to be up to 70 years old, or maybe over 90. That is a considerable amount of time. I of all ponies should know, yet some mortals still complain of short life. It's not about how long you lived, it's about how much. You could live for centuries yet still have a life shorter than the average mortal. Trust me I know this fact personally. There is quite a difference between being alive and living.
Now, think of what ponies can do in the span of 24 hours. You could go for a hike in the mountains, you could compose a song, you could even make a sort of invention that affects generations to come, even if that invention would be as simple as a lantern. I won't even mention that, tragic event.
Now try thinking of what you could do with the rest of your time.
One odd thought I had; when ponies have to sleep, they stop their activities and rest. It seems to split time up into segments, and each time a pony wakes a new segment of time begins. However, it's not time that stops, but the pony.
Sure, this is common knowledge, but it's a bit odd now to think of it. If we did not need sleep, we could go on throughout time in one cycle, and not several hundred pieces. Could our mind alter our perception of time in ways we don't even know of? Just a thought I had when I stayed up a few days doing projects.
Nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, fifteen hours, five minutes and seven seconds.
That is the third fourth time I have written this phrase, only slightly different like some sort of poet. I have no idea how or what things people consider artistic, but who am I to judge what is normal and what is weird? What is wrong with weird things anyway, and what determines something to be weird? Would I be considered weird? Then again, everything is weird once you think about it.
Really, do think of it. We all came from some sort of odd power flux thing in an infinite space of nothing that’s now filled with big balls of gas and rocks, endlessly going on without much reason to, yet even less reason not to. Not only that, we originally were mere animals in the forest, probably not even capable of complex thought if we thought much at all. Now look at where we are. Does that not strike you as peculiar?
Maybe I just think about things a bit too much. Too much time counting, especially with seconds. Seconds are the worst when counting time. It's hard to tell precisely how long one is, and if the second on one clock is longer by even a jiffy or two then normal, then it may be a whole minute off the next day, and then it'll add up. When counting by yourself there's almost a guarantee that there will be some inaccuracy.
Now mind you, I have taken utmost care not to mess up so much as a single second in my counting, yet mistakes happen. If my calculations are accurate then one day, or shall I say night she will break free during the Summer Sun Celebration. Try saying that 5 times fast.
What if my predictions are incorrect though? What if somewhere along the line I have made a mistake with time and am off by a day? Or what if the counter of the stars is different than mine and is off because of that? I'd hate to have the date wrong…
Nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, fifteen hours, five minutes and twenty eight seconds.
See I can write fast if I want to, so stop bugging me about it.
Speaking of the date, you may be wondering why I banished my sister for such a long time. Well, that's part of the story that so many people tend to forget, "Legend has it that on the day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid her escape."
Put simply, I did not put my sister in the moon for that set amount of time; the rulers of the cosmos did. Also notice how I said in and not on.
When I was gathering the Elements of Harmony, I was extremely hesitant. Why? Back then I did not know if there would be a way for my sister to escape her prison of space rock or not. Yet if I refused, the plants would either mutate or die, most likely the latter, and slowly bring the ponies down with them. On the other hoof, she was one of the few things in this world that would not grow old and perish while I continue to be able as ever.
It was not an easy decision, yet you know the choice I had to make; and since then she has been dormant, within her own hunk of stone.
I did research later, research on the stars and the night sky, mainly to get them down right when I came into something interesting. Basically, in the distant future, a number of major stars would align with the moon and Equestria, directing its power to the moon where Luna could harness it and…you know.
Why did it have to wait for a thousand years? Well, the day she refused to lower the sun just so happened to be the day of the Summer Solstice. Luna chose that "day" just to spite everypony, which had following some celestial events, such as this star thing. I wish this event didn't have to last so long, but what could I do? Nothing, I only control one big sphere of gas in the sky, and that’s our own sun. Sure I can make a few smaller stars, but I don't control every single one, and those ones are the ones that matter.
I wait hastily for my sister’s return, yet at the same time I fear it. I'm well aware that when she returns, she will not be the Luna I remember. No, I know all too well that she will be Nightmare Moon. How much wrath could she have mustered while remaining dormant for so many years? I have come up with plans to ease her pain, yes, but I'm not sure which one is best, nor if a better solution won't come one day. After all, I still need to find new wielders of the Elements of Harmony.
Did I ever tell you about the rumor behind Elements of Harmony? Long ago, it's said there was an evil Centaur, T-wreck or something close to that, was his name. Long story short, other ponies went to great lengths to get an item called The Harmony Gem to defeat the villain. Or was it the Rainbow Pearl? I'm sorry, the details are hazy, even in a mind as old as mine.
Anyway, much time later, they decided to split the…Whatever it was into six shards and sealed them away to prevent its misuse. They split the gem into elements that friendship most relies on and hid them in the abandoned castle where the ponies first settled. Then about 3 generations later Nightmare Moon came along and the rest is history. If you want to know about the fight between me and my sister, I'd rather save that story for another time.
Sigh, but still, what I'd give for my sister to come back; if not a bit sooner, and bearing no ill will. I’d give her the royal duties she needs, I'd give her own castle, I'd shower her in diamonds, I'd even step down from my throne…just for forgiveness, and maybe sooner than a thousand years, even if by just a day. Course I know that I can't have such a thing, no matter how much I wish. Some things are even out of reach of demi-gods.
Nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, fifteen hours, twenty eight minutes and fifty three seconds.
I glance at this dancing candle fire. The wick is probably longer than recommended, but I care not, although there are those soot lump…things on the end that form when parts of the wick can't burn anymore. Let me cut that off real quick. There!
I always found something about fire so calming. Course I am the goddess of the sun, so that's only to be expected. Still...
The simple fire, spreading light and warmth to its surroundings, coating its wick with a soft blue light, like that of unicorn magic. Then the fire grows yellow as it burns, like the sun. Honestly, I use these candles more for the small flame then the fragrance. I even use this flame to heat my tea when it starts to cool.
When some people think of fire, they have a tendency to think of rage, or destruction. What about when or if you've ever made a nice warm bonfire? That fire is nice, warm, and perfect for making camping treats. Not to mention it helps you see your way in the dark.
Fire has so many uses; it gives us warmth, light, and is used in many ways for our benefit. How many of you like things such as fire roasted chestnuts? How about the steam powered things some people make that are often heated with fire? Or was there ever a time you wanted to use fire simply for a nostalgic feel?
In a way, the sun is just a big fiery sphere in the sky, and there is nothing wrong with that. If you ask me, I'd say that some things are misjudged merely for looking at one point of view.
That is why she is gone today. Like fire there is a fear of the night. Basically, we have a tendency to fear what we don't understand. The night is not evil; it gives us the opportunity to do things we could not during the day. Have you ever gone stargazing? I try to mimic my sisters work best I can, but not even I can do it justice; Stars are an art.
Look up at a night sky. Look at the stars. Notice how they glow a sort of blue-white, yellow or red. See how they vary slightly in size and brightness. Most of all, notice how all of them are different from one another, yet never try to outshine any next to them. They all disregard the difference around them and simply create a magical, yet ever so simple image. If only more people could look at the stars at night. Perhaps they would learn something…
Nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, fifteen hours, forty minutes and thirty two seconds.
They say that fear is the worst enemy of pony kind. Honestly, I think that would be close, but not really true. I'd have to say that it's ignorance.
To many times I have seen ponies, more than ponies, start arguments and unjust events merely because they don't understand something. Often I have seen rejections and needless suffering and fighting merely because some ponies do not understand each other's ways, or have not learned to tolerate one another's ideas. Or worse yet, have been taught to be close minded and ignorant.
You should not judge a pony by appearance, tribe or species, but by who they are. Also take in consideration what they may have been through or how they were raised. No one is evil, even Discord, the infamous god of chaos, was just a merely a troublemaker. Playing sick games and pranks was the only thing he knew about.
One the worst things you can be ignorant of is being ignorant of your own ignorance. We all have things we don't know. To prove my point, answer me this. What are all the notes of the grand staff? What's the number of elements on the periodic table off the top of your head? What is the best way to harvest a good round of apples? How do you exactly craft realistic figures?
See, what too many people have trouble admitting is that they don't know something. I'm certain that at least a few times in your life you have been asked if you knew something and only pretended that you did, whether it be on an issue major or minor.
What's worse, there is a reason for that. Lack of certain knowlage is seen as weakness by many beings. That is just ridiculous. Sure there are some things that everypony should know, but there is no way that anyone could possibly know everything. Knowledge may be power, yet no one is born strong, and the wrong kind of knowledge can be as harmful to oneself as to others.
We're all here to learn and to live, yet no pony can know everything; that's just not physically or mentally possible.
Think of it, a pony from the forest would likely have a difficult time fitting into a city, as much as a business colt would have a difficult time living in the woods. Simply put, ponies of different origins will know different things.
It doesn't even have to be from distant lands either. I once knew a royal king, Featherward de Lance, who preferred to tinker around with locks and clockwork then really rule his kingdom. His ancestors however, were prickly about their royal duties and most of the time their main focus was that of keeping in power. He was mentally a different pony then his previous ancestors, so he knew different things.
What I'm trying to say is that not all ponies will know certain things. It's just the way they chose to live. Of course nothing is set in stone, and even still stone tends to change as well. Ponies can learn, ponies can change, but only if they are allowed to know. Remember, wisdom has no age, color, nor race, and can come from anywhere.
There is an old saying, Those who admit they don't know, become wise; those who pretend they know remain ignorant.
Know that you don't know, that's important. Have an open mind and see how other people see things, and why. It’s important to ask why. Be sure to always do so when going about any decision, even if it’s just to yourself. Allow people to know, but don't force it on them.
Most importantly, love and tolerate, even the lowest of folk. I’m well aware that that quote is a tad overused, but it would behove you to find the wisdom in the saying. Everyone's different, and you may not see eye to eye with someone, but that does not mean you have to spite them. More often than not that only make things worse; plus you don't know what they've been through. A nation is only as free as its lowest party is.
Never be hasty or one sided; that is a fast track to disaster. Just look at what happened to me, and what it cost my sister…
Nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, sixteen hours and twelve seconds.
I look at the paragraphs above. Was I talking about one thing, or another? I can't tell. Oh well.
One of the main priorities of being princess of Equestria is having an open mind. It's a good trait for everypony to have, yet it can also be difficult, at least when you're such a political figure like I am. You have to see how others would see things, and always consider what would be best for everypony, even if they may go against your original beliefs.
Yet at the same time, you have to know and be firm about what you are talking about and not let yourself be fooled by what some people say. As you can imagine this can be quite a task.
People, pony, I noticed that I tend switch between those two a lot. Honestly, though I am talking about mostly ponies here, there are more beings I'm sure that this could apply towards, so I think I may keep with what I am doing. Now where was I? Oh, well this is not exactly where I was, but I'll say it anyway
A problem some people have I noticed is that they only look at things as up or down, black or white; this is better than that…I see things as more of a, sphere.
For example, take the classic game of Grass Fire Water. Fire beats Grass, which beats Water, so Fire is superior right? Wrong, Fire beats Grass, yet is beaten by Water, which is beaten by Grass. So which one is best?
Nether, it just makes an equal triangle. Now, just imagine all the complexities of real life things. One person may be better at one thing in this event, but things can change. There are many traits to look about when a person gets a place in this sphere, and the sphere is subject to turn. Which way is better? That depends on the way you look at the sphere. Just something that has been wandering my mind as of late.
Back to my other topic; another priority of mine is to try to do at least one progressive thing every day. It helps me keep track of my time, and helps me stay active every day within my long life.
Every day, I make sure to get to my world and do something that I would call productive. I don't mean that you have to redesign the wheel, though I have done that on several occasions…you just have to do something of progress every day, whether that be work on some chore, learn a new piece of a skill, basically do something you consider productive.
Great philosophy to live by, especially if you're as long lived as I am. This way, I'm sure to keep track of my days, instead of having them pass by me like dust in the wind…
Nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, sixteen hours, seven minutes and fifty seven seconds.
It's about time to raise the sun. I have to get back to my duties tomorrow, and I can't be so depressed. After all I am the face of my country, and what would a country be if its princess was always less then positive? No, I must get ready for tomorrow.
But, this note has gotten rather long, longer and more edifying than I expected it to. I'd hate to just waste it all, even if the only reason I wrote this was because of time and sudden depression over my long lost sister.
Here, I think I know what I will do. I'll send this out to some city nearby in its fine case and seal. I shall magically enhance this paper as well so it can't be harmed, just to be safe.
If somepony, or someone, is reading this right now, I would like for you to reflect on what I told you here, take it to heart, and continue learning on the trail ahead of you. Do with this note as you wish, copy it, store it, whatever pleases you.
If you somehow get communications with my sister, tell her that the Sun will always regret eclipsing the Moon.
On a final note, for the tenth time…
Nine hundred eighty four years, eight months, three weeks, four days, sixteen hours, twenty nine minutes and thirty seconds.
And still counting down this...Immortal time. I'll go with that.
~ Celestia