//------------------------------// // Day 365 // Story: The New Moon Wanes // by TheAmishPirate //------------------------------// Though normally a busy place by any standard, there was no place in Equestria busier than the capital before the Summer Sun Celebration. Everypony was working themselves to the bone making sure the castle was pristine. They shuddered to think that Celestia should return from her big day and find so much as a pillow out of place. Luna had thrown herself into the preparations, overseeing the cleaning teams, organizing the post-raising feast, and a thousand and one other little tasks. After all, it was her sister’s big day. Celestia loved the Summer Sun Celebration more than anything. She always had. Whether it was the thought of making the longest day of the year or all the festivities devoted to her, she hadn’t been seen without a smile for the past month. Luna’s smile, on the other hand, hadn’t been seen for weeks. She cantered through the main entryway with an earth pony courtier close behind. He briefed her on the latest developments in his sphere of influence. “Now, the flower arrangements are all set. We had the front hall bouquets changed to morning glory like you asked. What did you think of the rehearsal for the music?” She checked another item off of her never-shrinking list. “It was fine, fine. And what about the carpets? I haven’t seen a cleaning pony all day and they’re rife with stains and scuff marks.” “We have the statues and new chandeliers coming in an hour. Cleaning up now just to drag a 300 pound statue over them later would be a waste of time.” He sped up to keep pace with the hurried Princess. “I’ve got them ready to get to work as soon as the heavy moving is done.” She had completely forgotten about the statue delivery. She gave her lists another check. If the cleaning teams were delayed another hour, that took an hour out of the evening preparations, and the halls still had to be clear for moving the statues. She sighed in frustration, then handed her assistant a new set of orders. “Good thinking, but this will put us behind schedule quite a bit. Give these to the gardeners, and tell Twinstrike I need to see him immediately.” As he ran off, she ran through the schedule for the rest of the evening. These last few hours would be a frantic mess, but the end was in sight. This would be a Celebration to remember. Festivities starting as early as the night before at the castle, and then a ball the next day that would rival the Grand Galloping Gala. Celestia would be floored. Luna yawned loudly, then caught herself and forced her mouth shut. She’d be floored too if she didn’t keep up her energy. A minor scuffle drew her attention down the hallway. The pony she had summoned had nearly bowled over a group of servants in his haste. She made a mental note as he neared; once things were set here, it was time for a little pick-me-up. ********************************** In the kitchen, Luna heaped some grounds into a pot of boiling water. Sweet, glorious coffee. Celestia had finally told her where she kept her personal stash, and she would have died at least a thousand times these past few weeks if it hadn’t been for the marvelous beverage. She poked the sagging bag of beans with a hoof. It was almost empty. She must have been at the stuff harder than she thought. To be fair, she hadn’t gotten a full day’s sleep in nearly a month now. It might not have been the healthiest choice, but there was just so much to do. A pity she wouldn’t do the same for you. She massaged her temples. On top of everything, that little voice had managed to catch up, despite the work she had thrown herself into. “And? I do it because it’s my sister. She’d do the same for me if I needed it.” So why hasn’t she? Luna fussed over her boiling water. She had been fine this whole month. And ponies were noticing her enthusiasm for the Celebration. After tonight, they’d know how much she really cared for her sister, and all her problems would be over. It was probably just the lack of sleep talking. Once her drink was done, she poured herself a mug and sat at the table. Even though the Summer Sun Celebration was tomorrow, Celestia still insisted they have their weekly teatime. Luna was a bit early, but it was a welcome respite. Besides, she was certain her assistants could handle things for a little while without her. She took a long sip, savoring the bitter taste. A few minutes more, and Celestia still was missing. It looked like she might be waiting for a while, so she did what she usually did when she had a few minutes to herself. She took out a pencil and started to sketch on her napkin. Nothing terribly fancy, just a few star pattern ideas that had been bouncing around her head. Today, she was trying to reproduce a portrait of Celestia’s head she had seen on a cake earlier. She’d have to adjust the design a little to compensate for only having single-thickness lines. But if she stuck to the main features, it should turn out nicely. Soon, the picture started to take shape. This would be a good one. She’d have to save it, maybe someday she could use it in the night. You know full well that “someday’s” just another word for “never”. Her hoof slipped and her pencil tore a hole straight through the thin napkin. She crumpled it up in exasperation and threw it away. Now what was she going to doodle on? The chef never put out extra place settings, and she didn’t want to ruin Celestia’s napkin with her drawings. And this idea was nagging at her. Once her sister arrived, there would be no telling when she’d have a few minutes to herself again, and she might forget by then. As she scanned the kitchen, her eye fell on her clipboard. The back of her checklists were blank, and there was one in the middle where the ink hadn’t bled through all that much... She was still in the middle of her final touches when Celestia dashed into the room and shut the door tight behind her. “So sorry Luna! I nearly made it when I was ambushed by the Ponyconian ambassador. Honestly, I think he doesn’t know the meaning of “I’m busy, we’ll chat later”. He hasn’t given me a moment’s peace all week.” Luna smiled and put down her clipboard. “You should really think about getting a hat, your crown makes you stand out too much.” Celestia laughed as she poured herself some tea. She was about to offer Luna some when she spotted her steaming mug. “One of these days you’re going to find “The Egghead’s Guide to Coffee Addiction” where the bag used to be, and I won’t make the mistake of telling you where it is this time.” Luna picked up her teacup and put the mug aside. “It’s not addiction, it’s necessity. There’s a difference. Or would you rather I direct the Celebration in my sleep?” “I’d rather you get decent rest and not have to over-indulge. Still, I appreciate all you’ve done to help out with the preparations. The whole palace does.” She added a few lumps of sugar and sipped her tea. “How are the preparations coming along?” Luna passed her the clipboard. “See for yourself. It’ll be tight, but I think everything will be ready in time.” Celestia started scanning the checklists and schedules. As she flipped through the papers, something on one of the pages caught her eye. “What’s this?” She plucked the paper out and turned it around, revealing the crude sketch. She examined it closely, and raised an eyebrow. “Come now Luna, am I really that fat?” Oops. She had meant to pocket the sketch and finish it later. She fidgeted with her coffee mug. “Well, it’s not quite done-” She cut her off with a light chuckle. “I’m kidding! Kidding! I love it. Are you going to put it in the sky tonight?” Luna nearly choked on her coffee. Could it be that...Celestia hadn’t even noticed? No, that would be inconceivable. Her sister had made the night for a thousand years, surely she would remember what it was supposed to look like. No, there was something else wrong here. She chose her words carefully; “W-well, I haven’t changed the constellations in so long...the stargazers might get upset?” She didn’t try to hide the implausibility of the excuse. Celestia took the bait, shaking her head knowingly. “Really? Then I expect they’ve been upset for quite a while now, seeing what you’ve been doing with the night in the past few months. I’ve been meaning to tell you how nice it is to see you be so creative with your stars.” And now the truth comes out. Her relief was replaced by disbelief. Luna’s dropped her mug, unable to muster the clarity of thought for a simple levitation spell. A sound between a moan and a stutter escaped her throat. Celestia’s smile vanished. “Luna? What’s wrong?” After spending a few moments contorting her throat, she only could grate out, “C-c-creative?” Her sister dropped the clipboard and knelt by her side. She put a wing to her forehead. “Are you feeling alright? What’s the matter?” Luna struck her sister’s wing away. “Creative?! All this time you thought that was on purpose?!” “What else would it be?” “What else would it be?! You mean...” No. That was just too preposterous to even consider. “...you mean you think I’m alright? That nothing’s the matter?” Celestia said nothing at first, but for Luna, that little moment of hesitation told the story. She doesn’t care. She never did. Confusion and weariness turned to rage as she stood and faced her sister. “You didn’t notice, did you? I’ve been miserable these past nine months and you didn’t notice a thing?” Celestia backed away slowly. “Miserable? Luna, why didn’t you tell me anything? You know you can-” The long hours and restless afternoons had worn Luna’s patience thin. Her sister was not getting off so easy. “I thought I wouldn’t have to! I can’t believe you didn’t realize something might have been wrong with me! Nopony respects me as much as you, nopony even cares when I ruin the nights, and you thought I was fine?!” Celestia might have said something. Luna wasn’t sure. She had been bottling this up for months, and now that the lid was cracked, it was all coming out. “When I came back, I thought things could finally go back to normal. I could rule alongside you and make the nights I love. But all anypony ever gave me was fear and disrespect. I thought I could handle it. At least I still had my nights. But when I can just mess them up any time I want, and nopony even cares...what’s the point?! I couldn't help but be jealous and bitter, just like a thousand years ago. So I thought maybe if I stop hoof-crafting them, then maybe I can stop being jealous. Maybe I can be the good sister this time. And you want to know something?” She found herself right in Celestia’s face. “I’ve hated every minute of it! I’ve been dragging myself through each day, clinging to the hope that maybe someday I’ll be able to come back. Somehow, I’ll be able to get my nights back. But I know that’s never going to happen! And it’s been a nightmare!” She prodded Celestia’s chest with a hoof, punctuating each word. “And You. Noticed. NOTHING!” Her sister was at a loss for words. “I just thought-” “You thought wrong, sis.” She marched resolutely for the door, but when she turned to face her sister, her eyes were swollen with tears. “You’re still as blind as you were a thousand years ago.” ******************************************************* There were few things in Equestria that could withstand the might of an Alicorn who truly wanted to be alone. The crack in the wall where she'd slammed the outer door to her chambers was a testament to that. Struggling to keep up with the Princess, one of the black-furred pegasus guards landed at his post at the door to her bedchamber. "Go away." The guard was obviously surprised to be talked to; Luna usually treated him like furniture. "Your Highness, I'm under orders to..." Luna felt a familiar glow in her eyes as she glared at him. She didn't repeat herself; she didn't have to. Both guards were already racing for the outer doors. At least she could still command fear. It was what she was best at, after all. Once alone, she wasn't sure what to do next. Right now, crying it all out alone in her room felt alright, if a little juvenile. She had been trying the logical approach for the last nine months, one night of emotional outbursts wouldn’t hurt anypony. *tap tap tap* Luna lifted her head to look out the window. Her sister was tapping at the glass with a hoof and motioning towards the lock. So much for being alone. She buried her head in a pillow and tried to ignore her. *tap tap tap FLASH* Luna didn’t even bother looking up. One of the many disadvantages of an alicorn family; privacy was never guaranteed. She tried ignoring her, hoping that she could take a hint and leave now. Luck was not on her side. “Luna, I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I ask that you at least give me a chance to explain myself.” She snorted. “You’re already here, it’s not as if I have a choice.” Celestia sat next to her. She twitched as she considered putting a comforting wing over her, but then decided against it. “I owe you an apology, sister,” she frowned, “although I know it does little good now.” Luna remained silent. She continued, “But it is owed regardless. I’m sorry, Luna. I should have noticed something was bothering you all this time.” “But you didn’t. You never do. It’s always sunshine and rainbows to you provided nopony tells you otherwise.” she groused, still face-down in a pillow, still not looking at her. Celestia didn’t rise to the challenge in her voice. She simply nodded, and replied with a tinge of sadness, “Yes, I suppose I have always been lacking in that regard. In a kingdom where so much can go wrong, it is much easier to assume all is well unless otherwise reported.” She prodded the carpet with a hoof absentmindedly. “I keep finding that the same can’t be said when dealing with other ponies.” A few minutes passed without either of them saying a word. Luna, waiting for her sister to finish talking, and Celestia, waiting to see if her sister wanted to take a few more shots at her. Finally, Celestia whispered, “But I do think you give your sister too little credit. I have something for you. Rather, something to tell you.” That finally got Luna to raise her head and pay attention. Though it shouldn’t have surprised her; Celestia had always been fond of her little games. “Did you notice anything odd about the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration?” “Well, the festivities certainly start early this year. From what I remember, the Celebration usually started in the morning, once the sun was raised. But this year, it looks like we’re starting-” “-in the evening, yes. And have you planned anything for tomorrow? Anything you remember from Celebrations past?” Luna thought hard. Although it was a long time ago, she did remember a few of the traditional events...which were mysteriously absent this year. Celestia must have seen the wheels turning in her head. A knowing smile played on her lips. “Many things have changed over the years. The Summer Sun Celebration is no different. Centuries ago, somepony started a peculiar tradition:” She leaned in close, as if whispering a secret. “Celebrating the longest day of summer by staying up all night.” Luna could only sit in stunned silence. She continued, “But traditions have an interesting way of spreading. Once everypony saw what a rousing success the nighttime Summer Sun Celebration was, holding parties at night became quite the thing to do. When the first Grand Galloping Gala was held, it went without saying that it should be an evening affair. And once the nobles were holding their soirees at night, soon everypony seemed to want to do the same. Sleepovers, dance clubs, concerts, all at night.” She put a hoof to her chin in mock thought. “It’s funny when you think about it; whoever started that tradition ensured the Princess of the Night would find a loyal and ready audience when she arrived back home. That was very considerate of them.” Luna didn’t know what to think, or even say. She turned to look at her sister, still wearing her knowing smile. She looked out the window, the ponies all below getting ready for a celebration that was now hers. And then she looked to her pillow, her little doodle on the clipboard resting on its side. “Is that it? Is that all you’ve managed to do in a thousand years?” she said in a low voice. Celestia’s smile vanished from her face. “What do you mean Luna? Don’t you see? I had to ensure that you’d have an audience when you returned, and it’s worked out so well!” Something about her tone re-ignited her spent anger. “Is that what this is to you? A game? I’m not some noble you’re trying to impress, or some annoying courtier you’re trying to outmaneuver, I’m your sister! And this wasn’t some little misunderstanding or harmless prank either; I was on the moon for a millennium! Alone! And for what?! So you could spin your little webs and get the ponies to stay up late partying of all things! Who’s going to even bother looking at the sky when they’re partying? And that’s another thing, if you’re really so clever and had this all planned out, why didn’t you tell me sooner?! Your little sister is broken hearted and miserable, but it’s okay! Really! It’s all part of the plan! That little moment where the pieces all come together and everypony’s happy will make it all better! Well what happens when they don’t come together, hmm? What happens now?” For the first time in her life, Luna saw Celestia speechless. She stammered, actually stammered! “I-I thought you wanted an audience...” “You thought wrong Celestia. Again. All these years, and I feel like you don’t even know me. You didn’t understand then, and you don’t understand now. And if you’re done with your little show, I’ve got a night to throw together.” She went for the door. Putting a night together in her state sounded like terrible work, but at least she could be without sisters or subjects to bother her. She almost missed the faint whisper from behind her. “Luna...please don’t go...” She ignored it. Her sister had her chance, and she blew it. Scratch that, she had her second chance, and she blew that one too. If her own sister didn’t consider her worth understanding and knowing, then what more needed to be said? She pushed open the door, only to have it slam shut in her face. A magical force was holding it closed. She rolled her eyes. “Celestia, stop. Don’t make this worse than it already is. I just want to-” “How would you like to raise the sun tomorrow?” All thoughts of anger, disappointment, and sadness were swept away in an instant. In their place stood staggering disbelief. Had...had she heard that correctly? Celestia might as well have offered her...well...no, there wasn’t anything that matched that in the slightest. Tomorrow was her day. Not just any day, her day. She rubbed her ears to make sure they were still working properly. “I’m sorry, what was that?” “Would you like to raise the sun tomorrow?” It’s just a bargaining chip; she’s biding time. But if that were the case, then what was she waiting for? She had just brought out the best thing she could offer. Well, the best thing she could reasonably offer. What could she possibly be trying to win by losing so much? “You want me to raise the sun tomorrow?” She nodded. “Consider it my way of apologizing with more than just words.” More apologies. How many more of those are you going to take? But how could she turn that down? You don’t need handouts. What was she waiting for? What did she need? Don’t! But- Luna moaned as the fatigue of the last month, combined with the war in her head, brought her down. She sat on her haunches, cradling her head as she tried to make sense of the thoughts sprinting through her mind. Finally, she said, “You’d...let me do that?” In response, Celestia lay down next to her and warmly wing-hugged her. “Yes. I’d let you raise a thousand Celebrations if it meant I could get you to understand how much I loved you.” She held her tightly. “That’s why I tried to change how things were run in your absence; so I would never lose you again.” The little voice told her to shove her sister away. Another voice told her to hug her tighter. Luna couldn’t tell which voice was hers, and which one was right. “I...don’t know.” She extracted herself from the hug. “I mean, I know how much tomorrow means to you. I really do. It’s just...nine months ‘Tia. I’m not sure if I can forgive you that easily.” Celestia wasn’t able to hide her disappointment. She looked as though she was about to say more, but all she said was, “I understand”. As Luna left, she added, “The carriage will be outside the front gate an hour before dawn.” ******************************************* The next morning, a crowd of excited, but tired ponies gathered in the town center of Fillydelphia. The stage was set, the Royal Honor Guard was in their places, and sunrise was minutes away. A cheer erupted as Princess Celestia walked gracefully onto the stage, giving the crowd a polite wave. She stepped up to her appointed spot, beneath a statue of a rising sun. And stood aside to let Princess Luna take her place. The crowd murmured excitedly as she stepped to the statue. They didn’t sound disappointed at all, just surprised. She bit her lip and looked to her sister. Celestia gave an almost imperceptible nod and bade the ceremony continue. Celestia had done all she could to teach her how to raise the sun properly in the time they had. In reality, it wasn’t all that different from raising the moon. She kept telling herself that. It’s just the moon. It’s just the moon. It’s just a bigger moon that will burn Equestria to a crisp if you’re not careful... She gulped nervously, and took off. As she cleared the horizon line, she reached out with her magic, trying to grasp the unfamiliar orb. She felt it immediately, so full of warmth and light. And heavy. Celestia hadn’t mentioned the heavy part. She strained with all her might, flapping her wings for all they worth as she poured all her magic into getting that ball of fire into the sky. Her eyes were shut tight with concentration, but she could hear the oohs and ahhs from the crowd as the sun slowly peeked over the city’s skyline. She gave one last, mighty push, and she could feel the sun’s rays on her back. Down below her, she could hear Celestia clapping her hooves on the stage. Soon the entire crowd was cheering, the drumming of their hooves on the ground sounding all the world like a mighty earthquake. She floated back down to earth and beheld her work. The sun was up, in the right position, and nothing was on fire. Not bad for a first try. Celestia was beside her in an instant, hugging her tight. “You did amazing, Luna! I’m so proud of you!” Luna blushed under the barrage of praise. Not just from her sister; it seemed everypony who could get within earshot wanted to compliment her work. The two sisters were trotting back to the carriage, when something fell out of Luna’s bags. It was her clipboard, with the star doodle still on the front page. She picked it up, and stared at it wistfully. Celestia noticed her hesitation and told the pegasi drivers to wait just a few more minutes. “Are you going to put it in the sky tonight?” “I...I don’t know if I can. If I can really keep it up with nopony watching. I’m not sure if I ever will.” “Respect comes with time. Who’s to say appreciation won’t as well?” “I suppose, it’s just...you realize this doesn’t change anything, right? In a month, in a week even, I may not have respect. I may still be jealous. I may not even have my nights.” She lowered her head. “Nothing’s changed.” She felt a gentle hoof prop her chin up until she was looking at her sister, framed in the morning sun. Her morning sun. “You’ll have me this time.” She clutched the clipboard tightly. “I think I can work with that.” ************************************************* Notes: Special thanks to the bronies of the Giant in the Playground pony thread(s). From prereading to encouraging words to just making me laugh, you guys helped out more than you realize with this story. Additional thanks to darthbobcat and Raz_Fox. If you two hadn’t wrote the Forever series and Misted Stage respectively, I would still be looking down on fanfiction as a lower form of writing. Thanks for setting me straight.