//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: A Second Chance // by ColeTrain4EVER //------------------------------// As the two ponies walked down the streets of Canterlot, Luna began to watch Azura more and more, noticing how she kept looking down to the ground, before staring up into the sky for a few seconds each time they stopped. “Is something wrong Azura?” Luna asked. Azura quickly snapped back into reality. “Hmm? Oh no Luna, I was just looking up at the sky.” “I take it you enjoy my night?” “Oh Yes, very much so.” Azura smiled widely, “I love all the little shiny stars and the bright moon! There really pretty to look at...and to draw.” “You did mention you drew in the art room,” Luna remembered. “Yeah, I like to draw, and paint too.” “Maybe you can draw me something one night for me to put up in the castle?” Azura blushed, “I-I could try.” Luna put a hoof on her shoulder; “You don’t have to, but I’d like it.” They continued to walk, until they finally reached their destination, a large townhouse near the center of Canterlot, and Azura began to look nervous again. “Oh look! Lights are out, they must be asleep, lets not bother them.” Azura began to trot away quickly, before being levitated above the ground by Luna. “Azura, you can’t run from everything in life,” Luna said sympathetically. “But they wanna send me away!” “Let me worry about that part; you need to go up to the door and wake them up.” “Wha-Nonononono!” Shaking her head; “I can’t.” Luna looked around; “Do you see that balcony next door? The one on the second floor?” Azura nodded. “I’ll be right there, if anything happens I’ll swoop down. Is that ok?” “What should I say to them?” “Say that you want to come home, that you're sorry. See what they say.” Azura looked at the balcony and then back at Luna. She knew that Luna could be trusted, that much was sure, but she still couldn't stop shaking. But she knew Luna was right, she couldn’t run away. She needed to be a tough pony, like Daring Do or Starswirl The Bearded. She nodded and Luna set her down. They approached the door. “Remember,” Luna whispered, “I’m close by” Azura knocked and looked to her side, seeing that Luna was gone. Azura turned back to the door, the silent response fed her fears. She reached up and knocked again, this time getting the sound of hoofsteps in response. The door opened, revealing a pure white, disheveled looking unicorn. The look of contempt he gave to the filly spoke volumes. “What are you doing here?” he asked, annoyance in his voice. Azura’s attempt at a response ended with just a whispered stutter. “Didn’t we say never to come back here?” The stallion’s words grew more venomous as he continued, “That my wife and I wanted nothing to do with you?” Azura sniffed.“I just wanted to come home.” Luna watched in silence, keeping a tenuous grip on her emotions. She didn’t want to believe that it could truly be this bad, but here was the proof. “Home? This isn’t your home, there isn’t any home for you to go to, except one-.” “No Daddy please-!” “Don’t call me that!” The stallion yelled, “YOU ARE NOT MY DAUGHTER! You are freak! Worthless!” He circled around her, “You only had one job, be a good little pony and keep your family’s name clean, and look what you did.” “I-” Luna shook her head in disgust. She wished that she could say this was the first time such an event has occurred, but this has been a problem among the nobility since before her imprisonment. The thing many cared about, first and foremost, was how they looked to the public and how they looked to the princesses. That second part in particular has always had a strong effect on her, as if this was the way to gain her sister’s or her favor. “You destroyed everything! My reputation, my business, my colleagues want nothing to do with me-” Azura looked down, doing her best to avoid any contact with her father’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said in a barely audible voice. “You're sorry? You're sorry!? Sorry won’t bring anything back!” The stallion looked down the street and saw three guards making a patrol. “I want you gone in the next five seconds, or else I call the guard.” He began to count, “Five...” She didn’t move, nor could she. Azura just stood there, sobbing. “Four... three...” The stallion continued, ignoring her crying. Azura grabbed his leg “Please don’t send me away,” she begged. “Get off me you little-!” He raised his hoof in the air, about to swing until a blue aura grabbed ahold of him. “What!?” “What kind of stallion are you!?” a dark and terrifying voice echoed from above. “Wh-Who’s there?” The stallion questioned, “Show yourself now!” Luna jumped from the balcony and gracefully touched down onto the pavement. The stallion's eyes went wide and he began to bow, but her magic stopped him once again. “I don’t want your loyalty,” she hissed with disgust in her voice. “I-I’m sorry?” “I’m sorry?” Luna said mockingly, with anger, “Oh that won’t do at all,I mean, when has ‘I’m sorry’ ever meant anything to you?” “N-Now wait just a minute here-!” “Quiet!” Luna screamed at the stallion, who was now paralyzed with fear as every hair on his body stood on edge. “I’m taking your daughter, YOUR DAUGHTER,” Luna was going in and out of the Royal Canterlot Voice as her temper rose, “Away from you and your horrid ways. I’m give her the care she needs and deserves! YOU however, shall pay for this. I don’t know who you are now and honestly, it doesn’t bother me. I will find out what you do, what you want to be, what you dream of, and I will personally make sure all of them are terrible failures, like YOU as a father!” The stallion was now shaking, unable to comprehend what was happening in front of him. “Is that understood?” Luna questioned “Y-Yes...” he said quietly. “Get out of my sight.” Luna watched as he quickly galloped back into his home and locked the door behind him. Luna now looked at Azura, who was on the ground staring back at her, her eyes now showed fear. “Are you alright Azura?” Luna helped her up, “Did he hurt you?” “N-No.” Azura answered quickly. “Azura...” Luna wrapped a wing around her, “No pony should have to go through that. Let alone one so young and talented.” “Talented?” Azura asked looking back up at Luna as she nodded. “Thats right, you’re special.” Luna held her close, “You’re not a monster, and don’t ever think that.” “But daddy said-” “That stallion,” Luna interrupted her, “knows not what he says. He is scared, scared of anything that doesn’t fit into his plan.” Azura seemed confused by this idea, “What plan?” “I’ll explain later,” Luna assured her, “It isn’t important. For now, I need to focus on you.” “B-But...” Azura timidly began, “Did you mean what you said to him earlier?” “Hmm? Oh no no, I won’t hurt him. That was just to scare him a li-” “No,” Azura cut her off, “About me...did you mean that? About taking me and helping me?” Luna looked down at the little filly and smiled, “You know the Tale, “The Mare in The Moon”. correct?” She nodded, “And I’m sure you know that I was that mare?” Azura nodded, trying not to offend the princess by mentioning that. “Well, I was sort of like you Azura, I let emotions like anger or envy cloud my vision. I lost control, my magic took on a horrid form: Nightmare Moon. I had so much power that was being used in blind rage to hurt others. I paid for that...” A tear rolled down Luna’s cheek as she finished that statement, before she looked down at Azura. “But I will not let that happen to you. I will help you control this power you have. I can be your mentor of sorts, you’ll study under me as my protoje. That way, you can learn everything that I have learned on controlling emotions and separating them from your magic.” Luna smiled at the young Unicorn, whose face was filled with enormous joy. “How does tha-” “YES!” Azura jumped before Luna could finish, and embraced the Princess of Night in a large huge. “Yes, Yes! I would love that!” Luna hugged her back. She had now found her mission, to keep others from repeating her folly and downfall. The two broke their hug and Luna looked up at the sky, the moon would need to be lowered soon. Luna knelt down and dropped her wing as a ramp/ “Shall we fly to the castle?” Luna asked. “I-Is that ok?” Azura asked nervously. “Of course, besides its faster and it’s more fun.” Luna smiled as Azura carefully climbed onto her back, she held on as Luna began to lift the two of them into the air and headed for the castle. Azura looked down at Canterlot in awe, loving the new view. The lights below reminding her of the lights above. “Enjoying the view?” She asked. Azura nodded, “It...It looks like two skies Luna, look! Stars above us and stars below us too!” Luna chucked as Azura looked in awe, “Its beautiful....” Azura went quiet, before Luna felt the small filly curl up onto her back. Luna knew she must be tired, and allowed her to rest as they neared the castle. From that moment on, Azura’s life changed forever.