Bits and Pieces
Bright, searing light, whirling this way and that, grasping her from every which way as it tugged and pulled at her very being.
She cried out, a sharp pain rushing throughout her immobile form as the light pierced through her, effortlessly prying its way into her core and dissolving the darkness within.
It was overwhelming, like the light of day crashing over the horizon, a tidal wave of searing heat which struck her from every which way, drowning out all but the most deeply rooted shadows and banishing them from the depths of her mind.
And then, it was over.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Luna felt faint.
Awareness slowly returned to her with the arrival of morning’s first light. Shafts of amber hued sunlight cascaded down upon her side, catching tiny motes of dust as they drifted by on an idle breeze, bathing her form in a distantly familiar sensation; it was not the comforting warmth of her bedding’s smooth embrace as she so distantly remembered waking up to each evening. Rather, it was the unusual sensation of feeling, both uncomfortable, but also oddly pleasant.
Consciousness was not kind to the lunar princess, whose senses were quickly overwhelmed by the many scents and sounds assaulting them as the world around her became more clear. The sensory overload was almost enough to send her back into unconsciousness, and it would have were it not for a more pressing matter which quickly made itself known.
Her head rose with impressive speed, neck crackling with stiffness. It snapped into place as she gasped loudly, filling her starved lungs with precious air, which had been deprived of the precious, life giving oxygen for far too long, quickly lifting the fog of suffocation from her mind.
A raspy groan escaped from her throat, hoarse and sore from what felt like centuries without use; cracked blue lips stung as they peeled, her dry tongue doing nothing to relieve them as it passed over them again and again.
Her nose stung at the myriade of odors all about, the most noticeable being that which came from her own breath. Luna gagged momentarily, the putrid flavor upon her tongue suddenly coming to her attention as her tastebuds awoke. Weakly, she spat, trying to remove the disgusting, stale taste from her mouth, but to no avail.
Dazed, she hesitantly cracked her eyes open, only to wince and screw them shut. Moisture began to build up beneath her lids, wetting her blurry, gunk-encrusted eyes. A shaky hoof tentatively rose to wipe away the dried goo and shield her eyes from the light.
After a few short seconds, Luna chanced a peek through them once more, attempting to catch a glimpse of her surroundings, twin blue eyes scouring the world around her.
For a moment, as was expected in her confusing state, the world was unfocused. Everything had a blurry outline to it, seeming to pulsate with the steady throbbing in her skull, like looking through a lens of dirty, broken glass. Slowly but steadily, however, the world began to take distinct shape and everything became clear.
Immediately, Luna recognized where she was.
It was the castle.
Oh, most wondrous of sights! The castle!
She was home.
Luna’s head spun as she struggled to process this new information.
For the strangest, most inexplicable reasons, Luna’s chest flooded with a pleasant warmth, and she couldn’t help but smile wearily. A feeling almost as though she had just returned home from a long, long journey filled her chest pleasantly. It was an unusual one, surfacing from deep within her subconscious mind, as she couldn’t for the life of her recall going anywhere outside of the castle lately, but she didn’t mind. She was home.
However, Luna quickly realized that not all was right.
Wait... Where is everypony? Why is the castle in ruins?!
Her eyes widened, gossamer strands of her soft blue mane slipping down onto her face as her head rose worriedly.
When did all of this...?
Mouth agape, Luna peered around, her blood chilling as she took in the devastation, the realization setting in. Support columns which had once stood firm and steady by the entrance in pairs now laid strewn about. Large sections of the roofing had collapsed into the castle, leaving gaping holes in the ceiling; bright rays of sunlight shone in through them, streaming down to the throne, where her eyes finally landed. The throne, if she would call it that, was now nothing but a pile of dusty rubble, long rotten and crumbled into a heap of wood and tarnished metal.
What happened here?!
A sudden, sharp jolt of pain scraped at the inside of her skull in response, causing her to raise her hoof and rest it on the side of her head, squinting her eyes. A distant flicker of light glowed within in the murky depths of her mind, glimmering just behind her eyes, bringing with it a small fraction of awareness; a memory rising from the depths of her thoughts. It pulsed with each throb in her head, drawing a small, involuntary twitch from her right eye.
’Ignorant foal! The time of the sun has run it’s course! Now, the time for the moon to rise has come, and you are powerless to stop it! Bow before the night!’
Luna shuddered as the light within her mind dimmed, her hoof shakily lowering to the ground. It soon faded away, leaving her laying upon the stone floor, shivering, sore and thoroughly confused.
W-what...?
Before she was able to complete her thought, a blinding white flash filled her vision, forcing the mare draw back from the light, momentarily stunned, and shield her face from it.
“Princess!”
The scurrying of unarmored hooves clopping across the stone flooring and a feminine voice that Luna didn’t recognize led her to the realization that she wasn’t alone in the ruins of the old castle. With the hairs standing up on the back of her neck, she forced herself into a crouched position, fumbling slightly along the way, prepared for anything that could appear.
Rather than the culprit for the destruction of her home that she expected, she was surprised to find several small, hardly threatening ponies. However, they were entirely overshadowed by one extremely familiar pony standing before her.
Luna’s fears that something horrible had happened to the castle in her absence were quickly crushed as the towering form of her sister came into view. One of the mares across the room whispered to another, smaller one, her muffled voice having little effect on Luna, who stared up into her sister’s eyes.
Standing over her silently, Celestia strained to hold a straight face, though it was as clear as day that she was fighting back a wave of emotions.
“Princess Luna,” Celestia said quietly, holding her position above the younger mare.
“C-Celestia.” Whispered Luna in response, fighting to hold eye-contact.
“It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this.” Said Celestia, exhaling slowly. She kneeled in front of the smaller alicorn. “It is time we put our differences behind us.
“I...” Eyes widening, Luna shook her head and drew back onto her hooves. She took several shaky steps back before falling onto her rear, sliding down the crumbled remnants of a support pillar. Silent beneath the hard gaze of the solar mare, Luna quivered, mind racing as dozens of memories surfaced at once.
In that very moment, everything came back to her.
Slowly, her features contorted with a look of horror, her mind whirling with confusion. Luna curled in on herself, shaking her head wildly as the cold realization struck her. “No... No...” She mumbled to herself again and again.
Luna pressed her hooves to her face, horrified, lost within the depths of her mind and desperately fighting to deny the truth of what had occurred over one thousand years prior. She couldn’t face her sister, not after the shame she suffered.
Celestia stepped closer, her wings extended and her face expressionless. “It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this.” She stated, drawing Luna’s attention.
Luna raised her head. She looked off to the side, unwilling to look her elder sister in the eye. “Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister.”
”Sister?!”
Celestia ignored them, finally breaking her unmoving stance to kneel down close, whispering into Luna’s ear. “Will you accept my friendship?”
Conflicted, Luna screwed her eyes shut and pressed her face into her hooves, looking away from the ancient mare.
A vicious, nagging regret for the things she’d done to her sister clawed at her mind, piled on by the thoughts of the things she had plotted against the kingdom, and the genocide that would have inevitably followed.
You don’t deserve it. Whispered the little voice in the back of her mind that was her conscience, harsh and degrading. You betrayed her. You betrayed everypony.
“I... I...” Luna mumbled, sniffling.
Celestia seemed to desperately want to leap forward and embrace her sibling, but she hesitated, caution no doubt holding her back.
“I’m so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!” Luna suddenly cried, leaping up at Celestia and latching onto her neck.
“I’ve missed you too, Luna,” Celestia whispered, a tear forming in the corner of her eye as she wrapped a hoof around her younger sister, holding onto her as though she threatened to fade away with the next passing breeze.
The pink mare, idly standing amongst the others, loudly blew her nose in an exaggerated manner. Luna jumped at the sudden sound, turning her attention to them.
“Hey, you know what this calls for?” Asked the pink mare, sniffling. “A party!” She cried, her voice suddenly oozing excitement.
Luna looked up at Celestia, who simply smiled. A mother’s smile, letting her know it was going to be all right. This small sight eased her worries, banishing them from though.
“Come, Luna, let us celebrate your return,” Celestia said, nuzzling Luna.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Equestria’s midsummer sun hung low in the sky, gently warming Princess Luna’s back as she peered over the edge of the royal chariot, taking in the view of Equestria for the first time in centuries.
The marvelous sight was enough to draw yet another stunned gasp from her, temporarily drawn out of the stupor she’d been in since leaving the old castle. Awestruck, Luna gazed upon the massive Everfree forest, thick and lush from the centuries it had remained untouched. Beyond that, hundreds of vast lakes dotted the landscape of Equestria, drawing plant and animal alike to them like little beacons of life.
Winding rivers slithered their way across the grassy plains, cutting streaks of all sizes through the green waves of verdure.
“Breathtaking, isn’t it?” Celestia’s voice drew her attention, coming from beside her.
Luna leaned back into the chariot, nodding silently to her sister.
“Just wait until you see the city,” Celestia told her with an exuberant tone, receiving a tiny smile in response.
Slowly, their destination became clearer. A lone, colossal mountain, towering high above the rest of Equestria, parting waves of clouds as they passed. Luna quickly realized that there was a city built upon it, like a crown of marble and gold, giving it a sense of ancient regality.
Celestia beamed at her sister, who stared at the mountain, open-mouthed.
“Welcome to Canterlot, Luna.” Celestia said, winking at her. “Hope you like it.”
“It’s... Magnificent.” Luna gasped, covering her mouth with a hoof. “Just like we had dreamed...” She whispered, looking over everything before her.
Quietly, Celestia smiled to herself and gave orders to the pegasi guards pulling the chariot to bypass the city center and land near the castle, well aware that her sister was not yet prepared for such an ordeal.
Luna seemed to take notice of this. Turning to Celestia as the chariot slowed, she curiously raised a brow. “Sister, why is it that we are not landing here?” She inquired quietly.
Celestia mulled over her response for a moment, fearing that she would insult Luna. “The city is very busy right at this time of day.” She explained, giving her a soft smile. “I feel that it would be a bit much for you after your... Ordeal.”
Luna winced, but nodded in agreeal. “Perhaps you are right. I am not prepared to greet my...” She paused, a frown spreading across her visage. “Your citizens at this time.”
Celestia frowned. “Our citizens, Luna.” She corrected, draping a hoof about her sister’s shoulders. “Ours.”
Luna sighed, then nodded her head. “I do not feel that I deserve the crown after what has been done, sister. I am anything but a fit leader—”
“No, Luna.” Celestia interrupted her. “What you did was awful, but...” She paused suddenly, glaring at the lightly armored stallion looking back at her curiously. He hurriedly went back to pulling the chariot, ears flattening against the back of his head submissively. “We will speak of this another time.” She said with a sigh. “But do not think yourself unfit to rule. You are my sister, and you are the co-ruler of Equestria, just as you always will be.”
Luna sat silently for several moments, staring up into the sky. Then, she responded. “Nevertheless, I am hardly prepared for such an occasion.” She said, choosing not to argue on the matter.
“I’m sure that you’ll be ready after a bath and some food.” Celestia told her, carefully pulling Luna close with her hoof. “But I certainly won’t force you into anything. Whenever you feel ready, tell me.”
Luna said nothing, staring down at Equestria as it passed.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Celestia ushered Luna, who still stared, awestruck, at the vast city around her, gently guiding her into the castle with a few nudges here and there.“Come, Luna, see the castle!” She exclaimed, motioning toward the grand oaken doors which led inside. “Don’t worry, you’ll have a full tour of the city soon enough. I promise.” She assured her sister.
Luna nodded, following closely behind her sister, as though she would be lost forever if she took one stray step.
“I know it’s a bit different than we had planned, but I implemented a few of our designs into it. I’m sure you’ll recognize some of them.” She told Luna, entering the main hall with her sister in tow.
Luna froze upon entering, staring up at the large marble pillars supporting the balcony above, and the many halls and staircases all around.
“That’s not even the best part.” Celestia said, grinning. She pointed up to the ceiling, where a large glass roof sat, positioned just so for a perfect view of the sun or the moon.
“It feels so familiar.” Luna whispered, looking around at the various decorations within the castle. “But I never thought it would turn out so wonderful.”
“Ready to see your room?” Celestia asked, motioning Luna up the stairs.
“My... Room?” Luna asked slowly, turning her confused gaze to her sister.
“I...” Celestia paused. “When construction on the castle began, I had hoped so desperately that you would return to me one day in the future to rule beside me once more.” She smiled at Luna. “I had a room built in the same wing as my own, just for you. I promised myself I’d have it ready for your return.” Giving Luna no time to respond, Celestia pushed the doors open. “I hope it suits you well.”
The doors swung open to reveal a large room, its most notable feature being a large canopy bed, low to the ground and adorned with a plush sapphire blue comforter. Sheets, folded and ready to be laid, were piled atop it, along with an extra few crisp, white pillows.
Despite this, there was something missing, she noticed. Luna quietly peered about the room, taking in her new bedchambers, her expression unsure.
The room seemed nice enough overall, decorated in a way that any room of the castle would be, fancy and ornate, but it lacked a certain touch, the sense of home that Luna so desperately needed.
There was nothing upon the hearth over the fireplace and the canopy bed, what should have been elegant and flashy, had been stripped bare. No paintings along the walls or trinkets upon the furniture. There was no real care in the room’s bland design, without any real decoration to speak of. Hardly fitting to be called “home” by a mare such as herself, but more than enough for a passing diplomat who would need somewhere to stay in the castle while on business.
“I’ve already had the room stocked with everything you’ll need.” Celestia said, moving over to the door to the restroom. “The bathrooms have only the finest washing supplies, your curtains—should you use them, block light and sound from the outside, and the bedding is woven of...” She quickly trailed off, realizing that Luna was only half listening.
Luna stared blankly at the bed, looking conflicted. “Sister, I am...” She paused, thoughtful for a moment before deciding upon the proper word to use. “Grateful. Yes, I am grateful for what you have done for me thus far, but...”
Celestia smiled sadly, already aware of what Luna’s problem was. “Doesn’t feel like home?” She asked, receiving a slight nod.
“It’s very nice, but...” Luna exhaled quietly, tracing her hoof along the tiled floor. “I do miss my old room. It is just so different.”
“I understand.” She said, holding out her wing.
Luna hesitated for only a moment before she took the cue and slid up next to Celestia, feeling the thick plumage of her sister’s wing gently caressing her side, feeling inexplicably safe.
“I expected you’d miss the castle, so I had the guards bring out your things.” Celestia told her, motioning toward the boxes stacked atop one another in the corner, dusty and old. “I had this room made just for you centuries ago, but I never did decorate it. I thought I’d leave that task to you.”
Luna’s eyes widened, and she looked up at Celestia, shocked. The solar mare seemed to be straining to hold back her grin.
“It’s been a while, so they’re a little dusty, but I thought you’d like to decorate your new room with something familiar.” She explained, motioning to the other side of the bed, where a small mound of blankets lay, draped across what Luna had assumed was a chair, or perhaps bedding.
She quietly made her way over to the bed and eyed the blankets covering her things, then turned to her sister, brow raised as she stared at her, as if awaiting permission. Celestia smiled, and Luna took that as a sign to continue. Her horn grew alight with a soft, sapphire blue hue, weak from centuries of misuse, and she began to lift the bedding, slight strain clear in her expression.
As soon as she’d set it aside, too weary to bother with folding it up, her magic dissipated and she observed the boxes which it had concealed, the word Luna’s scribbled across the top of each in ancient, heavily worn ink. Carefully, she opened the first one.
Celestia sat by the door, waiting for Luna to say something. However, nothing came, and her expression quickly fell. “Come on... Smile for me, Lulu.”
Luna’s ears perked up at the nickname she’d not heard for centuries, and she turned, smiling softly at her elder sister.
“Thank you... So much.” She whispered.
“Anything for my little sister.” Celestia said, standing up. “Well... I’ll let you get acquainted with your new room. Come on down for dinner whenever you’re ready. The guards will show you the way when you’re done.”
As Celestia’s hoofsteps faded into the distance, Luna found herself silently staring down into the box sitting at her hooves, filled with a storm of various emotions. Reaching out, she made to remove something from it, but paused.
I can’t...
Gently closing it, she exhaled and slowly rose to her hooves, where a glint of reflected sunlight caught her eye.
The soft clopping of her bare hooves against the marble tiled flooring was the only sound that registered in Luna’s mind as she made her way over to the nightstand, planting herself upon a stool.
Looking into the mirror, she inspected herself from multiple angles, expressionless all the while.
So... This is what I look like. I’d forgotten after so long...
Semi-satisfied, her hoof fell from her face and her eyes followed it, landing on a box of various perfumes and makeups, all which filled her with a sense of nostalgia.
Lifting one of the blue bottles, Luna rested it on the flat side of her hoof and inspected the contents, half in a daze. It brought back all kinds of memories.
It was like a double edged sword, cutting into her in more than one way; a warmth flooded her mind with various pleasant memories. However, a chilling loneliness welled up within her as they passed, reminding her of her current situation—lost and alone in an entirely new world, where everypony she’d known in her past was long gone, replaced by several generations.
Luna leaned back upon the stool, eyes closing as it all came back to her; waking up early every evening to apply a generous coating of her various beauty products, only to be interrupted by somepony too impatient to wait for her to finish and exit her room, time and time again.
’Think you’ve got enough eye shadow on, Lulu, or do you think you need more?’ Came a voice from within the hazy depths of her mind, deep, strong and disturbingly familiar. ’I’m sure if you dabbed on a bit more, you’d probably have enough to blot out the sun.’
A sad smile stretched across Luna’s lips as a memory played out, a tear shimmering in the corner of her eye before streaking down her cheek and dripping down onto her lap.
Luna bit her lip, straining to fight back a sob as the memory played out. Tears shimmered brightly against her dark blue fur as they gathered in the corners of her eyes before streaking down her cheeks and dripping onto her lap, patting down her fur as they went.
“Oh, Atlas...” She sniffled, eyes screwing shut and her head turning away from the mirror, toward the floor. “I’m sosorry.”
I am a princess, therefore I must appear—
’Perfect?’
As a princess should.
’Perfection is an illusion, my dear. You are a goddess in every aspect of the word, beautiful in every way, shape and form imaginable, but not even a Goddess can achieve true per—’
A sudden, sharp sound drew her from her memories; Luna looked down to see a bottle of hoof-polish shattered on the nightstand, having loosened from her magical grasp while she was lost in her reveries. She sighed, reaching out and scraping the glass into a pile of jagged, pasty sapphire shards, scratching the nightstand and smearing it with streaks of blue.
Frowning, the mare looked about for something to dump it in. Seeing nothing, she levitated the box it had come from to the edge to the nightstand and scraped it in, leaving it to dry so she could later clean it out.
Rising from the stool onto her hooves, Luna looked down at herself and grimaced. Bits of the thick polish had dripped down onto her, seeping into her fine blue coat and clumping the hairs together in sticky bunches.
She scraped at the unsightly areas with a hoof before a gentle knock came from her door and she quickly stood, startled. She began straightening her tiara and checking herself in the mirror one last time for any blemishes or imperfections in her fur besides the hoof-polish. “One must appear perfect, as royalty.” She whispered to herself, having seen none, and turned away from the nightstand, reluctantly approaching the door.
It opened and a unicorn stood just on the other side, expressionless and at attention. “I’m here to ensure you’re satisfied with your bedchambers, Milady.” He quickly said before she could manage to speak. He seemed to stare straight past her as he spoke, almost to the point where she thought he was avoiding eye contact with her. “If anything dissatisfies you, please inform me so that I may have it corrected.”
Luna nodded, saying nothing as she eyed the pair of glimmering diamond slippers by the door. She quickly and quietly slipped into them, wiggling her hooves about uncomfortably as she attempted to grow accustomed to once more wearing slippers. They felt awkward and weighed her hooves down and they were tight around her sensitive hooves.
Luna turned and looked the guard in the eye, then spoke. “I wish to dine with my sister now.” She remarked, attempting a commanding tone. It came out as more of a weary mutter, but the stallion caught the message nonetheless.
He nodded and turned away with a simple, “Yes, Milady.” and motioned for her to follow, leading her once more into the depths of the castle.
Luna still found herself astounded at every turn as she made her way through the colossal structure, amazed by the smooth marble pillars, and the beautifully designed decor here and there.
Although the sheer scale of the structure amazed her, she was far more impressed by the work force within. Every corner she turned with her unicorn escort, there seemed to be another maid or guard, and what she assumed was the occasional politician. It was far busier than it had ever been during her time in the old castle.
Celestia certainly knows how to run a kingdom. She mused silently.
Luna’s thoughts were interrupted by the strong, low voice of the Solar Stallion at her side.
“We’re here, Your Highness.”
<><><><><><><><><><>
Luna hesitated as the guard held open the big oak doors leading into the dining hall. Immediately her ears caught the sounds of several ponies talking from within. Looking to the guard, who made no motion to acknowledge her, she quietly poked her head through the doors, looking about to find the dining hall as grand as she expected it to be.
The room was set with a pair of long, regal oaken tables draped in pristine white cloth, which shined with an otherworldly glow beneath a series of multi-colored shafts of sunlight streaming in through a dozen or so carefully designed stained glass windows that made up the majority of the eastern wall.
It looks so similar... Luna thought to herself sadly. But the depictions are so different.
The deafening silence was what brought Luna back to reality.
Blinking, she looked over to the ponies resting at the table, who stared intently at her. Luna suddenly felt a thousand times smaller as everyone in the room looked in her direction.
Ears flattening and tail tucking between her legs instinctively, Luna began to hyperventilate, standing stock still as their gazes seemed to grow ever stronger, as if scrutinizing her every move.
She shook anxiously, eyes widening as their gazes became distressingly familiar glares, reminiscent of the those she received as Nightmare Moon. They burned into her hide, causing her to feel faint, ready to curl up into a tight little ball and die.
Just as Luna was sure that her heart was going to stop, Celestia’s voice broke her from her stupor.
“Luna, are you alright?” She repeated, head tilted in concern for the jittering, panicked mare.
Looking around, Luna realized that the glares she was receiving were merely a figment of her imagination. Several of the ponies had already gone back to speaking to one another in hushed tones, leaving only Celestia and the stallion at her side to look at her curiously. She gnawed her lip, a slight scarlet hue on her cheeks as the embarrassment of her little episode hit her full force.
Luna exhaled a shuddering breath and closed her eyes, quickly regaining her composure. “Yes, sister, I was just surprised to see that we had guests.” Throwing on a small, polite smile, she approached the solar mare, circling around the grand table to the side opposite of everypony else.
“It’s nothing important, Luna.” Celestia explained, attempting to dismiss her worries. “Come, have a seat.” She told her, motioning to the spot across from her, looking up to the stallion standing beside her. He nodded and quietly slid the chair out with his magic.
Luna obliged, settling herself in the seat.
The stallion, a unicorn, smiled at her before falling back into his attentive stance.
From her spot across from Celestia, Luna silently went about observed the ponies sitting on either side of the table three of which donned modern formal attire. The odd manner of dress was lost on Luna, who turned her eyes to the others.
One looked to be a royal guard, which she made out to clearly be a captain by his brilliant purple and gold armor—a sight Luna recognized from her time, the uniform of a high-ranking stallion.
“Thank you for your time.” Celestia told the others, waving them off before Luna could inspect them. “I expect to see you again soon to finalize the arrangements.” They quickly gathered their things and rose from their seats, exiting the room whilst murmuring amongst themselves.
Luna released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding the moment the doors closed behind them, sinking back into her seat.
“I hope your room pleases you, Luna.” Celestia’s voice suddenly came from the other side of the table, drawing her attention.
Luna allowed the ghost of a smile to appear on her features. “I am quite pleased, thank you, sister. I am sure that sooner or later I will become more acquainted with it.”
Celestia smiled. “I wanted to give you the best, so I had it built with a view of the moon, just for you. but, well...” She gnawed her lip as a short silence draped itself over the table. “I... Didn’t know if you’d return...” She paused, eyes turning to the table before her. “If you’d be you when you returned.”
Luna’s smile fell and she looked away, resting her forehoof on the table. She tapped it quietly as a somber mood blanketed the room, uncomfortable and unsure of what to say.
Celestia shook her head, berating herself silently. “Forgive me, Luna, I should have introduced those ponies who just left.” She quickly changed the subject. “They were here to help me set up a celebration in honor of your return.” She explained, only to further regret her words.
Luna shot her an unusual look, anxiously shifting in her seat. “Celestia, I am happy you wish to celebrate my return, but... Are you sure this is necessary?” She asked in a low tone
“If I could have it my way, Luna, we’d have our own little private celebration for your return, just the two of us.” Celestia began, shaking her head. “As it is, however, the kingdom is rather shaken. A new alicorn who supposedly predates the very kingdom itself has suddenly appeared, and with no warning no less! The ponies are very unsure and I feel that the only way to truly assure them that everything is as it should be is to have a public celebration.” She sighed. “I’m truly sorry for putting you through this, Lulu. It’s just the only option.”
“I understand, Tia.” Luna forced a smile. “I’m sure I’ll be alright. It’s just a simple party, after all.” She said dismissively.
“That’s the spirit.” Celestia chimed, forcing a smile of her own at the thought of forcing her sister through such an ordeal. “Now, while we wait, do you have any questions about Equestria?” Celestia asked, leaning back in her seat.
A thoughtful look adorned Luna’s face as she pondered the question for a moment. “Many.” She finally responded, drawing a chuckle from her sister.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Princess Celestia stood upon a balcony, leaning gently against her sister, as if breaking contact with her would assure her disappearance for another thousand years. Smiling softly, she draped her wing over the younger mare’s back, further assuring herself that she would never again allow herself to lose Luna.
From a viewpoint on the threshold of Canterlot Castle’s west tower, Celestia watched the hot midsummer day drawing to a silent close. Late evening light mellowed on the horizon, turning a soft scarlet; across the flatlands, layers of clouds striped the horizon in long billows of purple, amber, rose and cerise as the day finally came to a close.
She inhaled a deep breath before exhaling it slowly, eyes closed and a gentle smile played about her face. “My sister is finally home where she belongs, Equestria is rejoicing for her return, and the sun is sinking to make way for a beautiful, new night, the first of many to come.” Celestia sighed, content. “A perfect summer evening, wouldn’t you say, Luna?”
Luna said nothing for a moment, contemplating her thoughts as she observed the sun quietly disappear behind a long range of mountains in the distance, bathing the world in sable night and allowing the moon its turn for full sovereignty over the skies. She turned to her sister as a gentle golden glow met the corner of her vision, watching as the elder mare carefully began to raise the lunar body, then spoke.
“Sister, how is it that you see so much yet feel so little?” Luna inquired, voice quiet so as not to disturb the peaceful stillness upon the air.
Celestia froze for a moment. The moon, in turn, came to a jerky halt in the sky for several unsettling seconds before it began its ascent once again. She turned to Luna, confusion etched into her seemingly flawless features. “I don’t understand, Lulu, what do you mean?” She asked, a tinge of worry surfacing in the back of her mind.
Though immortal, she was far from immune to her worries. Her thoughts began to run rampant, working up the worst possibilities for what her sister could have meant. One thing quickly led to another and the fear which she had tried so desperately to hide—that which insisted to her that her sister still held some sort of spite for her for sealing her away more than a millennia ago—had chilled her blood. Her silence rapidly grew unsettling. The lunar princess showed no sign that she would speak soon, quietly staring off into the distance.
Though she would never let it show, Celestia began to panic, caught by the deeply seated guilt she’d felt for centuries. “Luna?” She spoke once more, curling her lower lip up between her teeth worriedly.
Luna finally turned away from the horizon, staring Celestia in the eye. “Can you not feel the stillness in the air?” She asked, making a sweeping motion with her hoof, as though to punctuate her words. “‘Tis a precursor to something far more, I would say.”
Celestia shook her head disbelievingly. “A storm? Surely not. The weather pegasi promised that the entire day would be warmth and clear skies. I requested so myself.” She explained, placing a hoof upon the stone railing outlining the balcony and pushing herself into a standing position.
“Perhaps you have other things on your mind, sister.” Luna chided her gently. “Can you not feel the air? The cool breeze has died away and the air is now still and hot. Perfect conditions for a storm.”
An ominous grumble of thunder muffled its way over the far horizon to the northwest, proving the younger mare correct. Luna turned to her sister, stepping out from under her wing. “Perhaps we should return to our rooms before the weather gets too bad.” She said, entering the castle and leaving the encroaching storm to rage on outside.
“Perhaps.” Celestia sighed, following her sister. She gnawed at her lip as the worry once more bubbled up from within her, playing an anxious frown across her face.
Slowly, the moon and stars were obscured by roiling curtains of dark and heavy clouds rising over the horizon, bringing with them a deluge of whipping, lashing rain and powerful gusts of wind.
<><><><><><><><><><>
“Are you sure you’ll be alright alone?” Celestia asked, watching the younger mare go about readying her plush bed for sleep. “I’m sure we could work something out with one of the guard—”
“I do not wish to burden your daytime guard.” Luna interrupted, releasing her grip of the bed’s thick comforter to look at her sister. “I will be alright, Tia.”
“I know, Luna.” Celestia sighed, shifting uncomfortably. “I know.” She repeated, quiet. “I’m just worried for you.”
Luna didn’t respond, staring thoughtfully at the floor for a moment before raising her head and smiling softly. The simple act was enough to bring a much larger smile to Celestia’s expression. She approached Luna, craning her neck down to embrace her younger sister.
Luna returned the embrace before pulling away from her sister. She moved toward her bed, running a hoof gently along the smooth silken comforter atop it. “I understand your worry, sister, but I’m no longer a child.” She explained, passing her bed by and making her way toward the glass doors which led to the balcony.
“Perhaps, but you also...” Celestia paused mid-sentence, biting her lip. She pulled a thoughtful expression, wracking her brain to come up with a way to word her thoughts lightly.
“I have awoken after a thousand year slumber, yes, and I still suffer the effects of it.” Luna admitted, saving her the work. “But I am confident that I can handle myself tonight.”
Celestia sighed. “You’re probably right, Luna, but can you blame me for worrying? You’re my sister.”
“One night should not be all that bad.” Luna murmured, straightening the covers before sitting herself down before the doors. She craned her neck and began staring out at the cloudy night sky, catching a glimpse of the moon peeking out between the thick cloud cover. “After all, I was alone for one thousand years. What is one night compared to that?”
Celestia turned away, hurt from her sister’s sharp statement. She made to speak, but found nothing to say. Instead she turned and slowly exited the room, a frown played across her lips. “Very well, then.” She sighed, closing the door behind her.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Basking in the pleasant warmth the late summer sun left in the air, Luna sat upon her balcony, quietly observing the cloudless night sky. With minimal distractions, she was able to think clearly about the happenings of the day, mulling over her thoughts.
It’s all so... Different.
Luna sighed, looking down. From her balcony, she could see nearly everything; all of Canterlot, the distant light of small settlements and towns, and Cloudsdale, a shimmering silver silhouette in the moonlight, were all visible to her, clear as could be.
No matter how many times she looked out at it all, she couldn’t help but find herself in awe again and again. Never in her wildest dreams did she envision such a sprawling society to have blossomed under her and her sister’s rule.
Laying a hoof on the guard rail to steady herself, Luna stood, turning and entering her room once more.
As she passed through the glass doors, thoughts of the evening plagued her mind, mostly of dinner. Having been a wholly awkward affair for all parties involved, she couldn’t help but worry about the upcoming celebration for her return.
The thought of hundreds, possibly thousands of ponies from everywhere across Equestria showing up to observe her was enough to send a shiver down her spine. It made her feel like some sort of exhibit with everypony staring as they did.
Crawling into her bed, Luna mused on Celestia’s explanations of Equestria and how foreign it seemed. It was overwhelming to the mare, who laid her head down upon her pillow. The feeling of a bed beneath her, wrapped in the warmth of the covers and having a soft pillow to lay her head on was almost too much for her. Her eyelids grew heavy quickly and her thoughts of Equestria became hazy. Before long, she was unable to keep them open. Eyes closed, the princess of the night drifted off into the realm of her dreams.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Luna awoke to a gentle tapping upon her glass doors.
It wasn’t the gentle pitter-patter of rain she could currently hear. It was similar, but sharper, echoing through her room.
Exhaling slowly, her eyes opened, one more so than the other. Luna smacked her lips, blinking her eyes to clear some of the gunk from them and rolling herself onto her back to stretch. She turned her head, looking toward her balcony.
A blurry silhouette was pressed against the glass doors leading outside. Startled, she flew up in her bed, rubbing at her eyes. She blinked a few times and looked back, only to catch the back of the fleeing figure who’d stood at her doorway, quickly flying off.
Unsettled, Luna slid out of bed and stepped into her slippers, hesitantly approaching the door. Her horn glowed as she summoned up her magic in case whoever had been watching her returned, prepared to use it should she need to.
Reaching the doors, she looked out through them, peering both ways.
Hmm...
Nothing seemed out of place.
Equestria’s midsummer moon hung like a golden sickle in the humid night, and hardly a breeze stirred the air. The storm seemed to have mostly passed, leaving a soft drizzle in its wake.
I need to speak to the guards.
Murmuring something quietly to herself, Luna stretched her neck and turned away from the balcony, making her way toward the door, her hooves clip-clopping across the floor.
Quietly stepping out into the hallway, Luna turned and softly pulled the door closed, careful not to wake anypony. As soon as it clicked into place, she looked to her sides, surprised to find that the guard ponies who were set to watch her room as she slept were absent from their posts. Making a mental note to bring that up to her sister, the lunar mare turned away from the door, taking her first step into the hallway, only to release a sudden shriek when the floor gave out.
Crumbling beneath her very hooves, the marble tiles beneath her and the pillars which had held up the ceiling fell into a dark void, seemingly bottomless.
Her wings instinctively extended out at her sides, but to no avail. Flapping desperately to catch air, Luna screamed at the top of her lungs as she only seemed to gather more speed. The air seemed to pass right through her feathers, leaving her to reach out for the ledge she’d fallen from, growing ever further away.
Alarmed and disoriented, Luna flailed about madly, reaching for something—anything at all—to save her life as she plummeted into the abysmal rift. Wind screeched by her ears, flapping them about painfully and deafening her as she cut through the night sky, barreling toward the earth—and her imminent demise—below.
Screaming at the top of her lungs, Luna caught sight of the ground between the nauseating rotations despite the vicious twists she experienced as powerful gusts of air struck her from every which way. A blur of muddled brown and black caught her eye before she was facing the sky again, spiralling out of control.
Soon enough, the constant motion grew too much for her to handle. Luna released a sickening hurk and began to evacuate her stomach contents into the air, watching dizzily as the disgusting fluids hovered by her for just a second before whipping off in another direction, carried off by the wind.
Her screams had stopped, replaced by a low, dazed groan by the time she’d come close enough to clearly make out details on the ground. The sickness had gotten to her, leaving her unable to do little more than curl into a ball, rolling onto her back in preparation for what was inevitable. Staring upward, Luna flinched as the tops of the trees suddenly invaded the corners of her vision, before everything went dark/
Luna screwed her eyes shut, plowing into the ground with bone-shattering force. Huge plates of solid earth were force up all around her as she crashed, blooming outward in every direction. An explosive boom resonated through the air, followed by the shock wave created by her impact, which bent trees beneath its force as it passed.
A deafening silence fell upon the area as soon as the dull rumble of upturned stones returning to the ground waned.
Luna’s eyes cracked open, only to shut them tightly again, finding them filled with dust. She immediately squeezed them shut, drawing tears from them as the dirt scraped against her eyes. Waving at the haze, she dared to peel them open again.
Everything was blurry.
“W-wha...?” She croaked, voice hoarse. Raising her hooves, Luna slid them across her face hurriedly. Stunned, she realized that she was, in fact, not dead. She rolled her head to the side, startled further by the fact that she wasn’t in any pain at all. Only the slight discomfort of dirt in her eyes plagued her.
Where...? She thought, worry quickly growing evident on her features. She felt about, hooves scraping against dirt and stone. What in the world happened happened?! Where is the castle?
Stunned into silence, the lunar mare held her position, staring into the sky as though it held the answers she sought. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what had happened, how she’d fallen through the castle floor and into the ground and lived.
Her worries were put aside for a short moment, however, when she noticed that a layer of thick, bloated clouds blotted out the sky, swirling overhead in a bizarre manner, whirling this way and that under the command of the powerful winds that drove them onward. Something unsettling emanated from the sky as it continued to writhe about like some sort of enraged monster, never going still.
Luna lifted her head and peered around, realizing that she was splayed out on her back in a wide crater, no doubt left by her unfortunate landing. Large portions of the foundations of the forest she’d landed in were obliterated and a dark cloud of dirt and other debris had filled the air, making it hard to determine where exactly she was.
The castle has to be nearby. It has to be.
A quiet cough escaped her throat as she languidly pushed herself into a semi-sitting position, inspecting her surroundings, an act she immediately regretted. As soon as she’d moved, the debris cloud had begun to dissipate, settling back to the ground to reveal what was beyond the edge of the crater.
Empty reaches of wooded swampland sprawled as far as the eye could see, nothing but somber decay for miles upon miles, desolate and bleak.
Luna drew back, startled by the sight.
The forest looked to have withered in decay, rotted and drowned by the intruding swamp muck all across the ground. Unsettling sounds resonated from everywhere, as though the very trees themselves were lamenting, creaking and wailing.
Dry branches rattled sharply in the unforgiving gale, making a noise that was nothing short of spine-tingling.
Luna gingerly approached the edge of the crater, ears laid flat upon her head. Her bare hooves dug into the loam as she hobbled her way up the incline, slipping several times before managing to grab onto the edge.
Hauling herself over, Luna pushed herself onto her hooves and looked around, gathering a better view of her surroundings.
Trees.
As far as she could see, the miserable forest rolled on, no sign of ending.
A silhouette moved quickly through the shadows to her side, drawing the lunar mare’s attention. Jerking her head to the left, Luna scrutinized the tree line, staring into the shadows.
Hidden beneath a tree, the form—barely visible, stared back at her, dark and mysterious.
“You!” She called out, watching as its ‘ears’ flattened at the sound of her voice. “Where am I? What are you?” She inquired loudly, to no avail.
A scowl spread across her face when she received no response, causing her to move toward the form. The moment Luna took a step, the shadowy figure had turned and bolted, disappearing into the trees.
Luna drew back, surprised that any being had the audacity to ignore—nay, to flee from their Princess of the Night. Mumbling something unintelligible to herself, Luna ignored the odd creature and turned her gaze back to the forest it had hidden itself within. An unsettling aura seemed to surround it, a stark difference to the city she had been in merely an hour ago.
The thought astounded her—just a short while ago, she’d been in a chariot high above the land, gazing down thoughtfully upon Equestria’s magnificence in admiration. She’d been awestruck as she took in the sight of its massive ancient forests, thick and lush from the centuries they had remained untouched.
Looking around again, viewing nature at its ugliest, she assured herself that she was anywhere but Equestria.
While the rustling of wind through branches seemed to be common there, an unusual sound drew her attention. Luna turned, looking up to see the shadowy form atop a tree, laid out upon a series of thin branches at the very top. She blinked, and then it was gone, instead staring down at her from further off, in a different tree.
Luna shifted uncomfortably, staring into the dark tree line. For some unexplainable reason, she felt strangely compelled to enter. Perhaps it was the thought that the creature taunting her from a distance knew the way through, perhaps something entirely different. She didn’t know for sure.
Something drew her near, whispering sweetly into her ears.
Luna shook her head, berating herself for such foolishness. The forest was clearly an unsafe place. Yet she wanted to go back to the castle, and nothing but forest reached as far as she could possibly see.
Accursed wings. She mused, frowning as she eyed the limp appendages dangling at her sides. Had they been more functional, she’d have flown high into the sky to spot her position. With nothing even vaguely familiar in sight, she willed her body onwards in the only direction she could think of going: Forwards.
Inching toward the tree line, Luna pressed a hoof to one of the hideous trees, which sunk into the rotten wood. She drew back, grimacing, then attempted to push them aside with her magic.
Nothing.
Again, she concentrated. A warm tingle formed at the base of her skull, but it seemed to fade before reaching her horn.
Distressed, Luna turned her eyes back to the darkness beyond her before stepping into it, aware that she had neither her magic, nor her flight to protect her.
The air seemed to grow significantly colder the moment she passed through the wall of trees, sending a shiver throughout her. Luna fought the urge to screw her eyes shut and stepped over another thorn-ridden root, attempting to make herself as small as possible as the branches quickly grew too dense to pass through un-touched, reaching out to grab at her.
Wind howled through the crowded avenues of massive tree trunks, whispering its otherworldly dirge through the canopy above as the lunar princess passed through. A repugnant odor was carried in on the wind, rotten and sickening.
The mangled branches of the old, miserable trees tangled with one another viciously, giving them the appearance of life when the wind caught them. Luna ducked her head down low, half in discomfort and half due to the sharp thorny vines hanging from the boughs above.
In the distance, a shadowy figure peered at her from behind one of the ghastly trees, leaning against the gnarled trunk. Luna’s head snapped toward it and she quickly changed her direction, pressing into the incoming trees with renewed vigor.
Dry bracken crunched beneath Luna’s hooves as she frantically chased after the figure, gasping for breath. Her weariness had begun to take its toll on her, but the inexplicable desperation she felt to catch the silhouette drove her on. She broke into a gallop, desperate to find the creature that could lead her out of the forest and to safety.
Luna grunted, pressing into the thick of the woods on determination alone as the sharp branches began snagging into her fur. The piteous, gnarled trees groaned with the wind, their branches swatting at her, scratching her, as if to stop her from venturing any further into the hellish forest.
Dead branches rattled together in the wind, sharply swatting at Luna’s face. Her eyes clenched shut against the stinging pain, the thorny, razor-like briars whipping at her from every which way.
Almost mockingly, the form was always just a few trees ahead of her, watching her silently.
Luna growled as she was suddenly tugged to a stop. Turning back, she realized that her wings had been snared by the briars and vines. Unable to extend or retract them, the lunar mare attempted to break free, keeping one eye focused on the silhouetted she’d followed to ensure it didn’t escape.
She pulled at her bindings, only to gasp as the sharp pain ran up her wings, feathers being torn from them as she went tumbling forward into the awaiting limbs of another tree. This time, however, she couldn’t pull herself free, thoroughly tangled in the thorny grips of the trees.
Luna’s scalp was in tremendous pain. Branches and thorns tugged sharply at her ethereal mane. Her wavy hair was pulled violently, tangled and ripped from her head as she blindly struggled her way through. The princess made to pull away from the flora, to turn back and follow the path of debris she’d left, but it only served to further her suffering.
Deformed faces etched into the rough bark of a thousand trees met her vision, blocking out even the smallest spears of fleeting light for miles.
Finally she relented hung up in the branches just above the ground and unable to struggle any further. Luna saw the world through a filter of warm scarlet, which oozed from cuts along her forehead, courtesy of a gruesome hooked scourge of a branch.
Suddenly, a familiar shadowy figure caught her eye. Blinking the blood from her eyes, she looked up, unable to move her head. Elation rushed through her veins at the sight that met her. The burst of adrenaline was enough to allow her to lift her head, following the silhouette with her gaze.
“F-finally!” She whispered through cracked, bleeding lips, her voice excited, but weak.
The figure slithered closer, approaching the bound mare. It came close enough so that she could make out its features, or rather, the lack thereof. Little more than a dark, hazy mass, the figure had no distinguishable expressions. However, a pair of chilling white eyes were set into what Luna assumed was its head.
Without warning, the shadowy being burst into a cloud of black smoke when it stepped into a patch of moonlight piercing the canopy, splattering dark stains into the lunar mare’s coat.
Luna moaned despairingly, lowering her head hopelessly as the last chance of her believed escape floated off on the breeze.
The cloud slowly dissipated, revealing something she hadn’t seen before. As the wind carried the last of the haze away, Luna squinted to see the form of a pony lying still before her, hung up in the sharp barbed vines and branches and illuminated by a lone shaft of moonlight.
She quickly recognized the still and unmoving shape to be that of a filly, one who looked to be very young, smeared in dried blood and resting among a pile of jagged stones. Beneath the layer of dark rusty red, she noticed a coat of short, fine lavender fur and a warm orange mane.
Startled, Luna drew back, a sick, horrified expression on her face.
Memories of a blinding light, then sudden darkness abruptly came to the forefront of her mind, sending an involuntary shudder along her spine. An agony not felt for centuries by Luna gripped her mind, her very consciousness, in the form of a building pressure, which filled her skull. It had pressed outward, seeming to crush her brain against its bone cavity, giving Luna the migraine of a lifetime
A million blinding lights flew by, and the sensation of butterflies filled her stomach, leaving her in a place far, far away from the forest. The forest was gone, nowhere to be seen, only darkness in its place.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Luna flew up in her bed with a loud gasp, throwing her comforter to the foot of the bed as she rose. Sweat dripped from her brow, matting her fur as it streaked down her face and onto the bedding beneath her. Breathing heavily, she looked around the room, searching for signs of the miserable forest she’d just been in.
Nothing.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, the lunar mare rested a hoof on her chest in an attempt to calm her racing heart and fell back onto the bed, her head crashing back into the pillows with a quiet fwump.
The room was hot and the air still, leaving Luna to quietly stew in her own bed, nought but her quiet breathing to keep her company as she became lost in thought. What in the name of Equestria was that about? She asked herself silently, piecing together bits of her nightmare.
A forest, horrible, piteous trees, thousands upon thousands of them looking to be souls trapped in wooden prisons, screaming to be released; Luna released a quiet shiver and turned her head to the glass doors, eyes focusing on the moon.
“What a terrible place.” She whispered to herself, rolling her head to the side and staring out through her window at the stormy sky.
A low hanging moon met her gaze, suggesting that it was soon to set. In a few hours, the sun would promptly replace it in the sky. Staring at the moon, a thought began to form in her head. Slowly, her eyes began to narrow and her head tilted ever so slightly. Luna examined the moon blankly, more and more of her dream becoming clear.
Then, it struck her. A memory buried in the furthest depths of her mind, finally released after centuries of lying in wait. Her eyes widened as images of her daughter’s body laying on the surface of the moon, lifeless, in a pool of her own blood flooded to the forefront mind.
“N-no...” She whispered, clutching onto her chest with her hoof. “No! No!” Her heart raced and her eyes widened, blood turning to ice in her veins as the memories finally resurfaced to haunt her. Luna quickly brought her pillow in front of her and pressed her face into it.
“No!” A heart rending shriek escaped the mare as all of the details returned to her, muffled somewhat by the plush, feather-stuffed pillow. Another drawn out cry followed, with many more to come.
Luna leaned forward in her bed, releasing a fresh wave of tears. Her nose ran and tears poured from her eyes, streaking down her cheeks and soaking the sheets. “Celestia! You, you...” She trailed, her voice fading into a murmur as she buried her face into her hooves, shaking violently.
<><><><><><><><><><>
A series of quiet sobs racked Luna’s body as the sorrow began to dull, but only slightly. Though she didn’t realize it, she was subconsciously blocking away some of the pain, just as she had centuries before. She wanted to stay in her bed, wait for it to pass like a storm, but something inside told her otherwise. Her usual manner of coping with something on her own didn’t stand up to such a difficult task.
I need to see my sister... The lunar mare told herself. But she has always been there for me. She admitted reluctantly. Luna slid part of her blanket over her side, a part of her wishing it was Celestia’s wing. However, the soft comforter was no substitute for the real thing.
The prolonged thought of Celestia brought other things to her mind as well.
How can I even look at her after what she’s done!? Her nostrils flared. The blanket she held close in loving thought of her sister found itself tossed across the room. Luna glared at it angrily, unsure of how to handle her emotions.
The silence of the room closed in on her, uncertainty setting in once more. The alicorn crossed her hooves and laid on her back, staring at the ceiling with a conflicted expression.
I never want to see Celestia again! Luna huffed and kicked more of her bedding away. After a few moments of glaring into the darkness, she felt her body loosen up, and tears began forming again.
No… I don’t need her to feel better. She rolled onto her side, forcing a scowl on her face. She tried to hold onto her anger, her hated, but her need of comfort came back in the form of loneliness. There was only one pony alive that could help her, but it was the last one she wanted to see.
What am I going to do...
Luna—having made her decision, rose from the bed laboriously, wiping her face with a hoof and smearing a mix of tears and snot into her usually pristine coat. Unbothered of her surroundings, the princess of the night crept quietly across her room, head hanging low in despair.
Exhaling a shaky breath, she quietly opened the door, sticking her head out and peering both ways to ensure she wasn’t dreaming once more.
A pair of solar guards sat quietly on either side of her door, drowsy in the warmth of the summer’s night, their armor gently illuminated by shafts of moonlight reaching through the skylight above.
Luna ignored them, stepping through the door and closing it behind her. Biting her lip, she hesitantly touched a hoof to the tiled flooring with a quiet clop. When it didn’t collapse, she inhaled deeply and took a step out into the hallway, cautiously making her way along.
Luna passed through several short hallways, noticing the light of one or two guards as she searched for her sister’s room. All of them seemed to blend together to the mare, having lost the decorative charm they’d had earlier that day, now all looking alike. Bland, empty stone hallways with a piece of armor here or there and a set of colorful windows every now and then, over and over again.
Hurrying toward the fork at the end of the hallway, Luna’s destination came into sight. A short distance off to her left, she could see the entrance to the room in which her sister currently slept; a pair of wide doors, set within an ornate frame which held an image of the sun carved into the wood above it. She approached it hesitantly.
Reaching out to the doorway, Luna paused, her hoof inches from the large, engraved doors, staring at them silently. Slowly she drew her hoof back, pulling it close to her chest. Her expression grew thoughtful, unwanted memories of her dream resting in the forefront of her mind, taunting her.
Swallowing audibly, she turned her head away and reached out once more, knocking softly on one of the doors.
<><><><><><><><><><>
Celestia yawned, blinking repeatedly as she rose in her bed. Looking about, she noticed that her door was resonating with the muffled knocking of a hoof knocking on it.
“One moment.” She called out, stretching out her hind legs before sliding from beneath her covers. As her hooves hit the floor, she pulled her nightgown onto herself tightly with a little bit of magic, her expression growing worried. Very rarely was she awoken at such a late hour by her guards.
As her horn lit up, Celestia gave a simple, silent command and the doors began to inch open; stumbling in through them, Luna barely caught herself from collapsing face-first onto the floor.
“L-Luna, what are you doing? It’s so late!” Celestia whispered, leaning into help her sister up. When she received no response, she looked out through the doorway. With not a single pony in sight besides her sister, she turned her curious gaze back to her sister. “Are you alright? Luna?!”
Regaining a small bit of her composure, Luna looked to Celestia wiping the tears from her eyes.
Celestia hurriedly leaned in to grab her sister in a hug, squeezing her younger sister protectively. Over time, Luna’s sniffling died down and she rested still in the solar mare’s embrace before pulling away. “What happened?” Celestia asked quietly, worry etched into her features.
“Forgive me, sister.” Luna apologized, rubbing her shaky leg with a hoof. “I have had a terrible nightmare and rest eludes me.”
“I’m so sorry, Luna.” Celestia frowned sadly, leaning forward to nuzzle Luna’s cheek. “I should have known this would happen.”
“I did not know what else to do.” She murmured, eyeing the floor as embarrassment filled her.
“I understand, Luna.” Celestia smiled, resting a reassuring hoof on Luna’s shoulder. “You needed comfort, and you don’t know anyone here yet.”
“It is rather lonely in my room, yes.” Luna admitted shamefully.
Celestia eyed the younger mare for several moments before she released a quiet sigh. “So what you mean to say is... You want to sleep with me tonight?” She inquired, amused, smiling at Luna. “You haven’t asked that since you were just a little filly.”
A crimson hue spread across Luna’s cheeks, creating a gentle purple glow through her fur. “I-I am no filly, Celestia.” She murmured.
Celestia half-sighed, half chuckled while motioning to her bed. “Come on, Lulu, hop in.”
Luna hesitated, looking anywhere but at her sister as she debated with herself on whether or not to go through with it.
“There’s no need to be ashamed, Luna.” Celestia assured, lowering herself onto her bed once more. “It’s just one night.” She added, reaching down with a hoof and raising the edge of her covers. She patted the open spot next to her, smiling.
Wordlessly, the lunar mare approached the bed. Biting her lip, she attempted to ignore Celestia’s gaze and rested her forehooves on the edge of the bed, raising herself onto it. Pausing for just a moment, she crawled onto the mattress and laid on her side, feeling the covers slide over her, tucking themselves around her.
Laying still, Luna quietly stared into the darkness of the far wall. Thoughts of her last moments in her dream still floated idly about her tired mind, reminding her exactly who she was currently sharing a bed with.
She doesn’t even know, does she? Luna asked herself, listening to the calm, slow breathing of her elder sister.
“See? Not so bad.” Celestia murmured over her shoulder.
Luna nodded her agreement, adjusting her position and laying with her back to her sister. She closed her eyes and tightened her wings to her sides, comforted by the warmth Celestia was putting off.
Perhaps tomorrow I shall speak to her about it…
Slowly cracking one eye open, Celestia exhaled a contented breath and stretched her wings out. Silence filled the air once more, and she looked to the side to see her sister, little more than her chest rising and falling as she slept. Smiling to herself, Celestia lowered the feathery appendage and draped it across Luna’s side. Luna released a quiet murmur and curled herself up beneath the wing further, blanketed in a comforting warmth.
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The next chapter of A Goddess' Sorrow is finally out! Many months in the making and it's done. I'd have had it posted a few hours earlier, but I've been prettifying it for y'all.
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So... I'm not so pleased with how it turned out. That's probably because I rushed a lot of it, spending the last few days on a writing and editing frenzy from dawn 'til... Well, dawn again, so I didn't really take my time with it like I should have. That said, I rushed because it's been so absurdly long.
I'd like to apologize for that. I know that won't cut it, but I truly do feel guilty for making anyone who wanted to see the next chapter wait for so long. But, all excuses aside, that was just shameful and I should never have kept anyone waiting for that long. It was embarrassing, looking through the comments and seeing how old some of them were and how I said I was working on it. I hope you can forgive me for that.
Now that it's being posted, I can, at the very least, happily inform you that during the many months that I wasn't writing this chapter due to illness, severe depression and other life things, I did manage to scribble down little bits here and there for later chapters. What does this mean, you may ask? Well, it means that the next ones shouldn't take too terribly long to get out, so long as I don't get mauled by life once more.
I sincerely hope anyone who reads this enjoys it, so please sit back, relax and have some moon pony.
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dat word count
WHITER! You're alive!
4094051
Sorta! It's been a tough few (Many) months, but I finally scrounged up the time and motivation to work up this next bit.
4094058 Well, it's good to have you back again.
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It's good to be back.
Omg that 2nd chapter is so big!
I'm gonna have to mark this as Read Later.
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Life is like a bear: one moment it's warm and fuzzy, the next it's mauling your butt and you're left on the cold, hard ground.
4094214
That is far too true.
hmm, while a bit touching, I am wondering how the conversation with Celestia will go. A part of Luna clearly resents her sister for essentially killing her child, but at the same time, she misses her remaining family. It'll be interesting to see how this develops...
Holy Shite I forgot about this
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Yeah, it's, uh... It's been a while.
omg it's alive!!!
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Anyway... what will Celestia do if she finds out she was responsible for the death of a foal, her sister's foal?
Anyone else feel like Celestia was strong arming Luna emotionally here?
Wow that was an amazing read!
I can't wait to find out how Celestia will react upon learning about Luna's deceased filly.
4095432 She's trying to force the 'healing' by trying to do too much. It's great she wants to be supportive, but she's not asking the right questions. Given the circumstances, reading a psychology book for mares banished to the moon for a thousand years and not knowing said mare had a foal on the moon would be a tad hard to find.
Glad to see an update. I was wondering about this....I'm almost afraid to read about Celestia's reaction when she finds out what happened after Luna was banished.
Considering Celestias reaction she was already hardly forgiving herself for banishing her sister, beeing the casue of death due to her actions for an innocent filly will probably bump her over the edge.
Curious chapter. Poor Luna. That's an internal conflict for sure. Her sister represents stability and safety and all that to her (past and present), but is also the object of much bottled up anger. She'd better tell Celestia soon or this will all spiral out of control quickly. At least, that is, once she figures it all out. It's not clear at the moment how much she remembers and how much of NMM is her as opposed to something else. I hope she doesn't keep that hidden or I expect the internal resentment/anger will eventually rear it's head...
4095432
Maybe a little bit. To be honest though, she's treating Luna as what she appears to be and is behaving as: her sister, lost and confused in a world that is very different from the one from whence she was banished. With the exception of memories/troubled mind, Luna is behaving very much like a young filly. In that context, Celesita is simply trying to make all of this less painful and not drag what is past into it. Unfortunately that's not the whole answer to Luna's issues.
I hope more will be forthcoming on the context of this version of events and what led her to rebel, because it seems like enough details are different that it warrants explaining. Was her action because she was depressed angry at being ignored and neglected (implication of canon) or something else/more?
It's been so long, I thought at first, that it was originally a one-shot. It's good to see it continue.
And thus begins the long road to recovery.
It's up to Luna to decide when that speed bump's coming up.
Glad you're continuing this, by the way.
As I said long ago, don't lead a rebellion when in your third trimester. You're going to have a bad time.
I can't wait for the inevitable and awkward conversation.
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Celestia: Ah, Luna. Was there something you wanted to say to me?
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Luna: You killed my daughter.
Celestia:th01.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2012/189/c/d/surprise_princess_celestia_by_ultimateultimate-d51p8w6.png
...My heart feels likes it was put in a food processor... And then thrown into an antimatter reactor... And ejected into space...
Well then... I'm gonna go lie down in the corner of my shower now.
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Now I'll see you around Christmas for the next chapter :-)
tick tock tick tock goes the time bomb...
4227581
Well thank you!
*A random human appears!*
Glad to see you've continued with this project, very glad indeed. I remember favoriting this back when it first came out, and this latest chapter only made me the happier for doing so; this is simply an outstanding piece of fanfiction in every sense of the word, and easily the best fic featuring Luna that I've yet to read.
So many great things can be done with her character; big reason why I intend to utilize her as a major supporting character myself (that and she's best princess, of course 
). Keep up the great work Whiter Penmanship, and good luck with your writing! 
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Well thank you very much! I'm glad to hear you liked it so much, and I do sincerely hope you continue to enjoy the story as it continues.
I love getting comments like that, always makes my day.
And yes, Luna's character is really fun to work with. She's also quite relatable, makes it easy to write her in some scenes.
hmmm, around 6 months between updates?
Looks like I will be in for the very long haul :D
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Yeah, there is another version with words on it, though I believe I found this one quite a while before I ever came across that other version.
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I'm still working on it, though the going is slow due to my inability to use both hands for typing and such.
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I've had a lot of setbacks since I last posted and now, to top it all off, my wrist is pretty messed up, so I'm stuck to one-handed typing.
4911084
Well thank you.
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Words still do quite a bit.
I know the situation all too well. When you can't look on the bright side because there is no bright side.
Anyway, when people love a fic they will stick to it in most cases.
Keep it up, whenever and however you can.
Couldn't resist. Had to be done.
Is this story done for?
5996733 It's on hiatus! I got blindsided by life and I had to prioritize certain things over writing, editing and so on.
5998871 I just read a goddesses sorrow really good when are you gonna continue writing om eager to see what happens next
Aaaaand... It's downloaded!
Yay! It's alive again. I don't really have any ideas or suggestions to throw your way, but I can't wait to get back to reading the story ^.^
How the f'taghn did I forget to favorite this?!
Felt Luna should have flinched at this. Any idioms involving breath, really.
I guess the guards outside the door didn't hear anything.
I can't believe I didn't track this story 2 years ago...