//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: Flor d'Luna Noire // by Ducky911 //------------------------------// *Special thanks to AzureKaRyu and Mister Morden for helping with ideas and for proof reading. Seriously you guys are the best!* Flor d'Luna Noire Chapter Two: Twilight struggled desperately to comprehend what she had just been told. Her mind had received what Luna had said, but wasn’t processing it. How could that be? It was impossible! Her teacher and mentor, the great Celestia, Goddess of the Sun, could not be dying! She searched Luna’s eyes imploringly, beseechingly willing her to let this cruel joke go… She found only the truth in Luna’s dark tears and the distance of her stare. “What...? How...?” Twilight urgently asked the heaving ruler that she held so tightly in her hooves. The tumultuous sea of emotions raging inside Twilight at this moment left her dizzy and distraught, as if she was lost in the current inside of herself. She felt cold. She was alone. The world around her sunk into an oblivion of tears and darkness as she began to grasp what Luna had said. The night lost all glamour. The snow no longer shimmered in the light of the moon and stars. The air lost all liveliness to its crisp flow. The trees now stood as giants casting their looming shadows of despair upon the void that now filled Twilight’s heart. She released Luna and stepped back in a daze. “I… I have to… sit down…” Twilight whispered as she fell into the snow a few feet from Luna. She looked blankly around herself, finally focusing on her hooves, the hooves that Celestia held as she walked her around Canterlot as a young filly. The hooves that trotted in sync with hers every time Twilight visited. The hooves that now were meaningless and were wet from tears Twilight didn’t even realize she had shed. Twilight threw her hooves away from her face, disgusted that such a worthless pair of objects was holding the precious tears she had shed for her beloved mentor. The dam that held her insecurities, her weakness, and her failures broke and flowed throughout her being. The dam that had been the love and praise of Celestia... She was suddenly filled with despair and a loss of purpose that turned her usually warm heart into a cold shadow of its former self. She was locked in a prison of ice and stone that she herself had created. “Twilight…” a voice said from somewhere above her solitary abode within herself. It was sweet and laced with sadness, yet still it held a resolve. “Twilight. Please stop crying.” The voice was indeed made of steel. Cracks broke in the walls of Twilight’s cell of pain and misery. Light began to pour back into her soul as Twilight was drawn out by the voice. She could feel the pain in it as well, but it also held kindness and concern. She flowed back into the world like water bubbling from a stream. “Luna...!” she gasped, being thrust back into reality in a fraction of a second, suddenly fully aware of her surroundings again. She found herself curled up against the blue alicorn, who had placed a wing matronly around the small mare and looked at her with a concern that only one who had truly lost could form in their eyes. Twilight jumped up and stood next to her in the frigid air, immediately wishing she still had Luna’s warmth to comfort her. “I’m sorry… I lost control…” Twilight said sadly, shutting her eyes in anger at herself. How could she just lose it in front of one of the Princesses! “No Twilight. It is I who should apologize. I gave in to my inner emotions that I have held inside for far too long. I simply had to let it out…” Luna offered with a small smile that Twilight knew was sad but sincere. “And I have not told you everything… Oh Discord’s hindquarter’s! Why couldn’t I have broken down after you read the letter!” she said suddenly louder and with a stamp of a hoof, eliciting a quick intake of breath from Twilight at the princess’ curse. “What do you mean…?” Twilight asked, searching Luna for answers through tear soaked eyes. “Twilight she is dying. Not dead. There is a chance to save her,” Luna said sternly, as though she was trying to convince herself as much as Twilight. “But alas I fear I have overstayed my welcome for now Twilight Sparkle. I should go. I have done as charged and staying will most likely only complicate things further.” The princess looked confused and angry with herself, but made to move away all the same. “Luna, wait!” Twilight yelled, now more confused than ever. “What are you talking about?” She wanted to cry again. She could not make heads or tails of the situation, and she would bet her bottom bit that Luna was holding more in than what she had already let out. “I’m sorry Twilight, but the letter will answer your questions better than I can, if not in an indirect fashion. You need time,” Luna said as she lifted her wings and began pumping them. “As do I.” “So you’re just going to leave me here? After all that?” Twilight cracked out, her voice suddenly losing all reliability. “Please Luna…” The alicorn’s wings suddenly froze mid-down stroke. There was a desperation in this soft plea that could not be ignored, even by a princess. “Very well. I will wait,” Luna no more than whispered in reply. She pulled her wings back to her side and looked away from the purple mare while she lay down again in the snow and waited. “Thank you Luna,” Twilight managed to squeak out. Her tears flowed at a steadier rate now as she thought about the letter and what it might contain. She did not want to be left alone at all in this situation. If she had been, she could not imagine the state she would have been left in. Luna however looked very nervous and disgruntled, but she stayed put. Placated slightly by this fact, Twilight looked at the letter and brought it to face her. She broke the seal on the back with a quick surge of magic and slowly slid the letter out of the envelope. When the letter was finally removed from its thin casing, she discarded the envelope and levitated it into her bag, her preoccupation with littering unconsciously displaying itself. “There better be some bucking answers in this letter…” Twilight muttered under her breath and through her tears. She folded the parchment open and couldn’t help but feel a pang of despair at the slightly ragged hoofwriting that was normally as close to perfect as a pony, or goddess, could get. My most faithful student, I am sending you this letter first and foremost to alert you to the fact that I am not well. In fact, in my current state, it is regretfully unlikely that I will live to see the Summer Sun Celebration through next year. I am dying. I say this not to alarm you, my dear Twilight, but to inform you of the gravity of the situation. For obvious reasons Luna herself had to bring this letter due to the severity of its contents. I know you will be seeking answers as you are a very curious mare and no doubt Luna will have you even more stupefied (I do wish she would learn to control herself better). I wish to inform you personally of the events transpiring. I would like for you to gather the Elements as swiftly as you can manage and come to Canterlot Castle. Once here, I will explain everything in full. I cannot wait to hear your newest ruminations on the topic of friendship when you arrive. Yours truly, Princess Celestia P.S. Until you are ready to leave, Luna will be staying with you. Do try to accommodate her. I know she can be brash, but please be understanding and patient. Good. So no answers at all… Twilight sighed as she read through the letter a fifth time, her tears long since dried as she found something to focus on. She had spent at least half an hour analyzing the letter and looking for clues within its contents. She couldn’t believe that Celestia would mention something so casual as friendship reports in a letter so grim. It almost made her angry that the princess tried to water it down in such a way but she dismissed the rising emotion. “Gather the Elements? Well I guess we are always the go to for when Equestria is in danger…” She mumbled to herself after moving on to another part of the letter. “I wonder if she wants the actual Elements too or just the bearers though.” “There is no need to bring the physical Elements, Twilight,” the same rich voice as before stated astutely from a few feet behind the purple mare. Twilight looked up to see that Luna had barely moved, while she herself had been pacing all around the area without realizing it. “But we won’t have much power to save her without them,” Twilight said, confusion once again seeping into her voice. She lowered the letter and cocked her head at Luna who seemed to take heart in the fact that she could offer some assistance, or what little she could anyway. “Celestia has not told me much either Twilight. I am almost as uninformed of the situation as you are. But I can guess at the origin of her sickness and if I am correct, the Elements are useless against it,” Luna replied with a sigh. She looked exhausted, Twilight observed, and she had no reason to say she shouldn’t, considering the current state of things. Then suddenly she realized her fault in the matter. “Oh! Luna… I can’t believe I let this get the better of me when you must be hurting so much worse… I mean she’s your sister, not mine…” Twilight said, the shame fully evident in her meek voice. She felt like a school filly again, one who was crying over a broken crayon. She looked down and away and scratched at the snow with a hoof, knowing full well the comparison was absurd, but still she felt it. After all who was she to break down when clearly the pony who was closest to Celestia needed help? She closed her eyes, now angry, confused, sad, and ashamed. “Twilight, do not belittle your feelings in regards to my own. I have no doubt that Celestia means just as much to you as she does to me. Use that as a well from which to draw strength. While I may not be as wise and empathetic as my sister, you and I share the same pain and I do not think there is another pony alive that would be able to relate fully with our suffering over this development,” Luna responded gently while pinning Twilight with an understanding look that could have come from Celestia herself. Somehow that made it harder for Twilight to take control. “But Miss Sparkle, I feel that we should retire our sad talk for another day,” Luna said, groaning as she got to her feet in a very un-princess like fashion. It was enough to make Twilight smile slightly, regardless of her overflowing emotions for Celestia. Luna seemed to catch it and, after looking around to make sure they were still alone, stuck her tongue out at Twilight who in turn sighed and walked slowly over to stand by the princess. “Well I guess I can’t cry forever,” the purple unicorn whispered when she reached the alicorn. “If there is anything I have learned since my return, Twilight Sparkle, it is that tears shed do not change the present or the past and they are to be let out sparingly at best. I apologize for not partaking of my own advice earlier however… I know it only made you feel more lost,” Luna said sadly, turning to meet Twilight’s eyes. Twilight matched the look for a moment, before reaching out to the alicorn and pulling her into a quick hug. Luna looked shocked at the sudden contact, but only for a moment. Her gaze returned to its usual softness and she simply nodded at Twilight’s display. “You don’t have to apologize Luna,” Twilight said after they pulled away. “I’m just glad neither of us have to bear this alone.” She turned again to the hills between the forest and her home and thought of Spike and how he must be worried to death. She had said she would be home hours ago. Actually, he was probably asleep by now regardless of how upset he was. A quick smile danced across Twilight’s face when she pictured her baby number one assistant asleep at the table where he normally waited up for her. As if reading her mind Luna cleared her throat and spoke. “Well I assume I should be off again. You should get home. Celestia expects you tomorrow evening at the latest.” “From what I read, I don’t think she expects you until then either,” Twilight replied, puzzled by Luna’s implied return to Canterlot. Then she noticed the briefest flash of anger in the princess’ eyes. “I told her I’m not leaving her alone until then,” she nearly growled at no pony in particular. Twilight was taken aback slightly by her primal response, but quickly set about attempting to uncover the source of the slight outburst. “What are you talking about Luna?” she asked quizzically, fixing her eyes on the now restless alicorn who stamped a hoof in annoyance. “She wishes for me to stay here with you and your friends and escort you to the castle. But she needs someone to look out for her! She is weak in her current state!” She stared urgently at Twilight silently begging for her to agree. Unfortunately for her, Twilight didn’t. “Luna, I’m not sure what’s wrong with Celestia, but she has never set us on a wrong path before…” She said cautiously while backing down from Luna’s intimidating gaze. She shuffled uncomfortably, awaiting the backlash for her comment, but was surprisingly met only with a sigh and a very dejected looking Luna turning away from her. “You’re right, of course, as is she. But why? Why does she push me away so when she is hurting? You can see it in her eyes Twilight…” Luna said, craning her neck as if questioning her own sky for answers, or perhaps even beyond. “I just want to help her. I already left her side once. I do not wish to do so again.” Twilight knew what Luna was referring to. She shuddered as she thought of the night of Nightmare Moon’s return. She could only imagine the pain and regret Luna felt for her actions. Worse still was the fact that she thought those emotions were resurfacing again. “Luna, Celestia will be ok for one night. Besides isn’t Cadence watching her?” Twilight asked gingerly with a small smile and assuming the third princess would not be leaving Celestia hanging out to dry, thus drawing the eyes of the mare next to her. Ironic considering how she was feeling about it earlier. “Well, she is indeed, but-“ “But nothing Luna,” Twilight said firmly, causing the ruler to furrow her brow at the sudden interjection. “You need rest. You’re clearly exhausted. And besides, it will take at least an hour for you to fly back and you look like you’re going to fall over just standing there. There are plenty of hours left in the night for you to get some sleep. We will set out first thing in the morning, I promise.” At this last statement, Twilight gave Luna a reassuring smile that the princess snorted at. Nevertheless, she resigned herself to Twilight’s care. “Twi- Fine… I accept,” Luna responded while finding a sudden fascination with the ground. She shifted her wings uncomfortably before continuing. “However, I demand we leave the moment the sun rises.” “Of course, Luna,” Twilight replied. “I’m worried too. But I learned after a particularly messy situation with my doll that rushing things doesn’t necessarily turn out for the best…” “A doll...?” “Long story...” “Fair answer.” Twilight sighed. She suddenly felt the full force that the events of the night had placed on her body and mind. She was exhausted as well. It was all she could do to keep her eyes open and mind focused. “Anyway… We should really get some sleep,” the purple mare said, looking down at the snow, struggling against the depths of her weariness. “And I guess you’re staying with me?” Twilight suddenly found a new reserve of energy. She had nothing set up for a guest! She had no spare bed in the library at the current moment, or ever really, come to think of it. The only other bed she had ever kept was simply for the one night she had her sleepover party with Rarity and Applejack. And that she had to borrow from the Cakes. Her eyes widened as she began to panic. “I presume that is the case,” Luna muttered turning towards Twilight and stretching her wings. “Uh. Luna?” Twilight started, her breathing getting slightly faster as she fretted on about her predicament. “Mmm?” Luna responded distractedly, looking out towards Ponyville and flapping her wings for warmth. “I uh, I only have one bed, so…” Twilight began, deciding on a course of action for the moment. “So if you’d like to have it for the night, I’ll pull some cushions next to Spike. I think he’d like that anyway.” “I am very grateful Twilight, but I do not think that will be necessary,” Luna responded while shifting her gaze towards the purple unicorn and giving her a kind smile. “I do not sleep during the night. It is my responsibility to keep watch after the setting of the sun. Though I hold no duty this far from Canterlot, a habit such as that is a difficult one to break indeed.” “Luna you need sleep,” Twilight retorted, rounding out her statement with a slight hint of annoyance and a small frown. “What you say is true,” Luna replied. “However, need is rendered a moot point if the object of the feeling is simply unavailable. I have not been able to sleep through the night for quite some time. At least since I was reassigned my night time duties.” “Well will you at least try?” Twilight asked with a sigh. She was about to give up on arguing with this certain stubborn alicorn, and she assumed it would only get worse tomorrow when they were on their way to the castle. “I… Will try.” Luna hesitated momentarily while turning away causing Twilight’s frown to deepen. She was too tired to keep this up. She needed to get back to the library soon. She had a lot to do. Primarily, she had to go tell the girls. That was going to be a chore. She silently begged Rarity to not make a fuss about beauty sleep and hoped Rainbow Dash would even wake up, that is if she could even get up to Cloudsdale. She shuddered at the thought of having to prepare the balloon again. At least she knew that those two would come, even if it would be coupled with some complaining. She was not worried about Pinkie or Fluttershy either, but Applejack would need some convincing. She never liked leaving the farm and her family, especially on such short notice. Twilight sighed. These were all bridges she would cross when she came to them. Tomorrow morning preferably. For now she just needed to put one hoof in front of the other and make it back home. She supposed she could teleport again, but she got the feeling that if she did, that would drain what energy she had left completely. She was running on empty and now she was even starting to feel hungry. “I knew I should have had that second daisy sandwich…” She muttered to herself as a loud grumble affirmed her thoughts. She mulled over more unpleasant threads ending with her realization that she was being a bit of a pessimist before turning to address the princess again. “Well, shall we?” “I suppose we shall,” the alicorn answered with a sad look about the area that was still gleaming even through all the darkness that had settled on the two ponies. “A shame to ruin the snow however.” “I know. I wish Featherweight was here to get a picture. This would make for a great one,” Twilight said with a smile at the thought of the tiny pegasus who looked like he could barely hold up his camera. Her smile faded as they began their walk across the field. The snow gave off satisfying crunches underhoof, but not nearly enough so as to ward off the ever-present chill of the night air. There was no longer an excitement present to keep the cold at bay, and now it lingered, nipping at snout, ear, and hoof, as well as drawing all warmth out of the rest of Twilight’s body. She wished she still had the energy to cast a heating spell, but for the moment it escaped her. Twilight glanced over to Luna wondering how she could even stand after everything that had happened. The princess walked in silence except for the shuffle of the snow. Her head was still somehow held tall, and if she felt the icy surroundings, she showed no sign of it. Twilight wondered if alicorns had the same cold shearing attributes as the pegasi. It would only make sense, she assumed. She would have to ask her or Celestia about it someday. Twlight’s heart sank yet again at the thought of the Sun Goddess. She wished she could run to her and fix everything with a spell that could heal any illness or wound. She wanted nothing more than to be by her side, and yet, she knew there was nothing she could do about it alone. Her gut wrenched at the undeniable truth. She wished she could at least be there with some kind words. But she was stuck here until morning. Some part of her knew it was for the best, even if it didn’t make sense to the rest of her, but patience was never one of her strong suits. She tried to quell these thoughts that were racing through her mind, but couldn’t seem to stuff them back into the depths from which they crawled. Her saddlebags weighed heavily down on her flank. Her hooves began to drag. Her head began to droop. She was not lost in the emotional rampage that had swallowed her earlier, but she was caught in a web of depression nonetheless. Twilight started suddenly when she felt something brush across her side and over her back. She looked up to see Ponyville directly in front of her. I must have lost track of time while I was thinking. The sour thought breached her mind as she broke out of her resigned stupor. It took her a moment longer to realize the warmth spreading across her back and neck was coming from the wing of the alicorn standing next to her. She stared up at her blankly in response, not unkindly. “You were shivering,” Luna stated simply. The mare looked down at Twilight and offered a smile filled with compassion and concern. “Thanks, Luna,” Twilight mustered. She didn’t shrug away from the warmth. Instead she leaned against the larger mare as they began walking back to the library. Luna offered no complaint and so they continued. They finally arrived at Twilight’s home, cold and tired. Twilight opened the door with a flicker of her horn and a trace of magic. She smiled as she walked into the atrium and the sweet and reedy smell of her books reached her. She was very proud of her collection. She cherished each and every book on the shelves carved into the tree in which her residence was located. And yet they were not even the real prize. Asleep at the table in the center of the room was a small purple dragon, as she had expected. She trotted softly over to her number one assistant after leaving the comfort of Luna’s wing behind her, directing a smile at her that thanked the princess for her kindness and being careful not to make too much noise. “He looks so peaceful,” Luna observed, a hint of longing entering her normally stern voice. She lowered her wing after Twilight withdrew from underneath it and waited respectfully while the purple unicorn encompassed the baby dragon with an aura of similarly colored magic and levitated him to rest on her back. “He does now. But I’m sure he wasn’t so calm before he drifted off,” Twilight whispered with a giggle while looking down at the table where Spike had been sitting. There were fresh scratch marks in the wood. Spike always scratched at the table when he was worrying. Fortunately, Applejack always knew how to get the scratches out. Twilight could just do it with her magic, but the stubborn earth pony had insisted that she could “fix ‘er up twice as pretty, and without all that magical hocus pocus too.” “Do you want to follow me up to the bedroom?” Twilight asked of the alicorn who hadn’t moved from the welcome mat. “I’m just going to put Spike to bed before we hit the hay.” Luna regarded her with a look of hesitation but sighed after a moments pause and moved to follow. Twilight ascended the stairs to her bedroom slowly, carefully trying to avoid waking the dragon perched on her back. She heard Luna’s hoofsteps behind her and was glad she had a friend to rely on tonight. When she reached the top of the steps she opened the door gently and without a sound then stepped over to Spike’s basket. She picked him up again with magic and settled him into his bed. She pulled up the blanket and gave the baby dragon a quick kiss on the cheek before turning away. “Twilight…?” A faint and very tired sounding voice said behind her. She stopped and turned back to see Spike rubbing his half lidded eyes and sitting up ever so slightly. “That you?” “Yes, Spike. It’s me,” She responded quietly, smiling down on her charge. “Don’t ever worry me like that again…” Spike said through a yawn before rolling over and drifting back off to sleep. Twilight stepped over to him and nuzzled the dragon under his chin before standing again and whispering “I won’t. Promise.” She turned to Luna once she made sure Spike was really out this time. The mare had not yet crossed the threshold into her room yet and was still looking slightly uneasy. “You know, you can come in. He’s just a baby, he doesn’t have much of a bite,” Twilight teased playfully, sticking her tongue out at the mare. “Just a mean burp.” “I know that!” Luna huffed before entering slowly and taking in her surroundings. “It’s just, I’ve never stayed in a room that wasn’t mine before.” “Well I promise I won’t bite either and neither will my books,” Twilight added with a giggle. “Come on, let’s get some rest.” She removed her saddlebags and cloak, placing them in the correct spot next to the door: Her saddlebags on the floor and the cloak on a hook set into the frame. After taking care of these small tasks, she climbed to her loft with the blue alicorn following suit. She pulled back the blankets on her bed with her magic and hopped onto her bed with a groan as her muscles got a well-deserved rest. She was hit immediately by a point of no return. She hadn’t realized just how sleepy she was until her head hit the pillow. She noticed Luna walk up next to her and saw her horn glow as she pulled the blanket back up over her. “Hey Luna…?” She asked quietly. “Hmm?” “Don’t ever worry me like that again…” She mumbled back, drifting off into the depths of sleep. She was awake just enough to hear the response. “I won’t. Promise.” ________________________________________________________________________________ Luna looked down upon the sleeping unicorn, thoughts churning through her mind. She was exhausted. However, she was not lying earlier when she said that sleep eluded her at these hours. She envied the purple mare below her. How easily she had drifted into the night awaiting her, enveloping her with loving arms. Her night. The night that held naught but memories of disaster and heartache. Thoughts of one in particular burned through her and wrenched her insides: the night she had abandoned her sister. Her sister and herself. She flinched. Why could she not make it through just one night without the pain of her actions piercing her time after time? Would she never know peace again? Her heart sank. I vowed never to leave you again sister, and yet here I sit. Twilight’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, hair slightly rustled against the pillow. Luna watched silently as she sat beside the bed wishing the same would come for her. She couldn’t mask the worry that she was feeling. While she did have a vague idea what was causing her sister’s sickness, what could she do? What did Celestia know that she didn’t? What about the others? What about me? Luna tried to block these thoughts from her mind, but was anything but successful in her endeavors. She stood, giving Twilight one final longing glance, wishing hopelessly again that she could be sleeping as the petite unicorn was. She walked heavy hoofed to the balcony housing Twilight’s astronomy instruments and charts. She explored the area briefly before sighing and lying down on the wooden planks beneath her. The air outside was nippy but not quite as stinging as earlier. Perhaps this was because she was so occupied with other things, as her mind now allowed her to think as opposed to shutting down like it did earlier. Luna didn’t care either way. I thought they were everlasting. How did this happen? The question was the most disturbing thought to cross her mind since she and Tia had first heard the accounts of Discord’s madness filled rampage that left nearly a third of Equestria, or at least what would become Equestria, as a casualty strewn wasteland. That period of terror, chaos, and destruction would take centuries to repair, both physically and in spirit. And yet, this new assumption was still far more unsettling... Luna began exploring her sky in an attempt to settle her thoughts, letting memories soak in as she did. She needed a distraction and this was one way of going about it. She sighed as all of the remnants of her past called out to her from the stars that she had placed carefully and with excruciating precision in the night. Foremost among them were Pax Astral, Aurora Lucens, and Initium Novum, casting their brilliance down upon the land. The memories that they brought back were overwhelming to Luna, yet not necessarily in a bad way. She could picture the day that Celestia had first honored her with a solar eclipse as a gift of growing into the role of Princess of Equestria. That night Luna tried with all her might to do something of equal importance for her beloved Tia. Her first and brightest star, Aurora Lucens, shone down brilliantly in response to her recollections. When Celestia first beheld Luna’s gift for her, it was the only moment that Luna could ever really remember seeing her awestruck. A smile played across Luna’s face as recalled Celestia looking up at the sky speechless. At first she thought she had done something wrong. Luna wasn’t used to her sister acting so strangely. She was afraid she had offended her sibling, though she wasn’t sure how she would have done so. It wasn’t until Celestia pulled her into a tight embrace, tears of joy in her eyes, that Luna knew she had done something truly special for her sister. She could recall that moment like it happened only moments ago and it remained her most cherished memory to this day. Initium Novum hung lower in the sky and burned a deep olive green, one of the few colored stars in her sky. She placed this particular star just after her and Celestia’s victory over Discord. It was to symbolize a fresh start as well as to honor the dead that fell defending their homes from the chaos of the draconequus. Rage filled her heart as she relived the smoking homes and the slain innocent that Discord left in his wake, bodies mutilated and twisted by his sick sense of humor. Images filled her mind of ponies with heads missing, disemboweled, cotton candy poking from the wounds where flesh should have been. Images of fillies with limbs twisted into elongated and backwards mutations that would have to undergo years of magical surgeries and psychological therapy to have any hope of living a normal life ever again. That is if he didn’t curse them to run indefinitely until they collapsed and died of overexertion. She also recalled his favorite: ponies stripped of their skin and given a new coat of hard chocolate. If they moved, their casing would crack and fall off and expose them to the world. If they didn’t, the sun would simply melt the chocolate. All this while laughing and spewing condescending monologues. The thoughts sickened Luna. She did not blame her sister for having records of the details from the period purged from the realm. Some things simply did not need to be remembered. It was a wonder he didn’t begin killing needlessly again on his return. It was because of this that Luna still harbored dark thoughts about the murderous God. If she had her way, he would have been burned off the face of the planet with the Elements. Celestia would not allow it. Curse your sense of honor Tia. You spare first him and then me when we should both be burning in Tartarus for our crimes. Luna sighed sitting back on her haunches and looking up at the third of the three brightest stars in her sky. This one she was unfamiliar with until her return. This was the only created star in existence that she did not place herself. Pax Astral: The Peace of Heavens. It burned a deep and sorrowful blue. She did not know about this star until her return because her sister was the one who called into being. How Celestia managed this she did not know and apparently Celestia didn’t either. According to Tia, it simply sprang from the well of sadness within her heart after the conflict with Nightmare Moon and Luna’s own banishment. Regret coursed through her yet again. However she was too exhausted to feel particularly sad and overwhelmed by her feelings as she normally did when reflecting on the pain she caused Equestria and her sister. She still hated just how many unknowns surrounded the event. She was not in control during the attack and actually didn’t remember anything past sinking into the void. After that, Nightmare Moon took the reins. She did not even know how many had died in her assault. Celestia would not tell her, no matter how she begged. She knew she would only use the information to rend herself emotionally, but she still wanted -no, not wanted. Needed to know. Celestia even went so far as to decree that all memorials be made without the names or the number of the fallen in order to keep the truth from her. She had rationalized it to the public by declaring that all of pony-kind suffered from this attack so it was as a whole that they would remember their loss, as it would bind them closer together. You always were good at knowing how to get your ulterior motives passed discreetly under the door. Luna shook these thoughts from her mind and then decided it was time to get up. She did not mind spending time outside, but the wooden flooring on the balcony was not exactly the comfiest place to sit. She vowed to send Twilight a few cushions sometime to place out here. She groaned slightly because as she stood up the blood rushed to her hooves creating a tingling sensation that made it tickle to move her legs. When the feeling left her, she walked serenely back into the library. She cast a glance at Twilight momentarily on her way back inside. The unicorn had not moved since she put her head on the pillow. She looked as peaceful as she had when she drifted off into the arms of sleep’s comforting embrace. She then turned her attention away from the purple mare and looked down from the loft and immediately had to put a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle. Spike was in no way in the same position Twilight had left him. His arms were splayed out across the basket in which he lay, a pillow perched precariously across his face, leaving only his gaping mouth exposed. Luna had to work even harder to hold in her laughter as she noticed the drool dripping into his basket. The real breaker, however, was that Spike’s tail, which was wagging vigorously in his sleep, was slapping him in the face every few seconds. Luna summoned her magic and placed a second pillow over the dragon’s tail to prevent it from being able to cause a bruise overnight, while snorting quietly behind her hoof. Luna calmed herself down and continued through the bedroom with a smile on her face. The welcome distraction from her morbid and disheartening thoughts put her at ease as she glided smoothly down from the loft. Luna crossed to the door, wishing to look through the library’s collection for a while before dawn. On her way out, she suddenly felt a small collision with her fore hoof. She saw a roll of parchment in front of her sail down the stairs after she had accidentally launched it with her kick. Luna grasped it with her magic before it could go skittering about at the bottom of the steps and brought it to bear in front of her. She thought it must have rolled out of Twilight’s saddlebags from the looks of it. Then she began to wonder. These wonderings of hers always were her downfall, or so Tia had always joked. She shot a quick look at Twilight to make sure she was still in her restful state before she unrolled the parchment while silently reprimanding herself for letting her curiosity get the best of her over matters of privacy. She immediately made out what was drawn with impeccable precision on the inside: a star chart. And yet, while all of the stars in her sky were in the correct position, there were subtle changes to the sky all in the form of additions. She chuckled at Twilight’s constellations that she placed in the midst of Luna’s. Who knew you had such a creative side? She thought, looking behind herself and back up to the bed where the apparent artist slept soundly. Luna now felt exhilarated. Not only did Twilight enjoy the beauty of her night, but someone also felt the connection with precision and artistry that was projected in what Luna viewed as an architectural structure. Twilight showed the same care and practice into placing her constellations as well as the creative finesse that Luna herself did when placing stars, though she hadn’t done so in over two-thousand years. Perhaps we can discuss it over breakfast, Luna thought with a smile. She reached out to Twilight’s saddlebag and encompassed it within the blue glow of her magical aura and pulled it closer so as to place the parchment back inside. She opened the flap and situated the roll inside the bag, carefully making sure it wouldn’t get the chance to come loose of the leather again. She was moving to close everything back up when she noticed the flower tucked securely away in the bag. Small, blue and purple, gorgeous and petite – everything about the delicate plant struck a chord of elegance and beauty. She was very taken with the natural masterpiece and remembered it well. So that’s why she was on the edge of the forest. Luna sniffed and drew in the sweet fragrance of the flower, reminiscing on the past again and allowing her thoughts to drift to happier places. She had only ever seen one other of its likeness before: a prize for a flying competition long ago, enchanted by Celestia herself to never wilt or die. Today that flower resided in Celestia's private garden as it was given back to her in the winner’s will. However, Luna was confused as to how the flower before her now was still in its natural state. She remembered the reason they were so rare was due to the fact that they died a few hours after being uprooted. Interest spiking, Luna probed the flower with her magic. Impressive. Luna’s eyes widened at the complexity of the spell woven around the flower, not to mention the amount of power needed to sustain it until completion. By her estimation, this spell would allow the flower to retain this appearance for a few years at least. She once again turned to look at the mare asleep in the bed behind her. How many more surprises do you have in store for me Twilight? This I absolutely must bring up over breakfast. Luna was beginning to understand just why her sister had picked Twilight Sparkle as her student. It was no wonder Twilight was the bearer of the Element of Magic. She wondered if Twilight had any idea that her magical prowess had begun to rival even that of Starswirl the Bearded. Knowing her sister and how secretive she was, she would guess at a no for the answer to that particular query. Luna closed the saddlebag and absent-mindedly returned it to its proper place by the door. She then walked slowly down the steps allowing herself to close her eyes as she went. She really was exhausted. She no longer wished to open them back up, but, fearing that she would collide with something of value, forced herself to reopen them. She then set about finding a book to read. She knew she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on the writing, but she needed her mind to be occupied with something. She gave up on reading all the titles almost immediately. There were just too many books to search through. She then spied a recently returned copy of a book about the history of Equestria. Luna pulled it over to herself and sat down, yet again deeply regretting that sleep evaded her during the night. She opened to the first page and began reading, hoping to find some answers that perhaps this book so far from Canterlot would provide. After an insignificant number of pages had been covered however, exhaustion began to finally take its toll and the princess did not wake again until morning. ________________________________________________________________________________ Author's Note: I apologize for the horribly long wait for this chapter. I never intended for it to be this long. Things just caught up with me and I had less and less time for writing. Next one will hopefully not take near as long. Though based on my planning, it will be a long chapter. So we shall see.