Chapter 1: Moonrise
~*~*~
The sun was on its descent and soon Luna would be taking control of Equestria beginning with the rising of the moon. Moon Trot had managed to get a successful six hours of uninterrupted sleep during the evening and was now fresh as a fiddle and ready to see to Luna's needs as well as the plethora of other administrative details that the Minister of the Night had to handle on a daily- or nightly- basis.
Stopping out front of the massive ornate doors that separated Luna's personal quarters from the rest of the castle, Moon Trot used her magic to lift and lightly tap the large ebony rings that served as knockers. While capable of making a sizable thud, the Minister was more than capable of using them gingerly so as to alert Luna to her presence rather than force her out of slumber should she still be asleep.
Magic was a mysterious force, even to those ponies who had made it their life's work to study. It required the greatest focus and clarity to wield; even a few misspoken words or the wrong intonation might give a spell a wildly different result that might see princes become frogs, or even oranges. Or both.
While much research and investigation had been carried out on the magic of the three pony races - none more dedicated to the task than the great Star Swirl himself - the magic of the Alicorns was an altogether different affair. So incredibly ancient were they that none still alive could ever hope to remember a time before their arrival. In thousands of years the sum total knowledge that was neither fairytale nor pure speculation filled only a few dusty tomes in the Canterlot Royal Library. A unicorn, or a pegasus or an earth pony tapped into magic as if dipping their hoof in a stream but the Alicorns somehow seemed to swim in that stream; surrounded by it, energised by it. Sustained by it.
It was this curiosity that meant while the Princess was still quite fast asleep, oblivious to the world surrounding her, her magic was not so. With a little more effort than normal, given it acted without any direct permission, Luna sluggishly pulled the door open to admit Moon Trot. The cobalt-coloured cloud of magic retreated, pausing to adjust the royal tiara sat on the desk opposite before returning to its master's horn.
The door opened via a familiar plume of magical energy and Moon Trot momentarily believed that Luna had arisen on time today. Upon entering the room, however, she silently sighed as she saw that she was wrong. Having borne witness to the magical abilities of the Princess many times, Moon Trot wasn't surprised that she would subconsciously open the door when such an act would otherwise require focus.
"Princess?" She said softly after walking over to the edge of the bed, "Princess Luna? Its time for you to wake up." She already had a hair brush levitating near her head so that she could assist the Mistress of the Night, Stars and Moon in preparing for her night.
Moon Trot wasn't entirely a fan of having to wake Luna up every night, but at the same time this had been one of the most helpful ways for Moon Trot to truly get to know the mare and overcome the prejudices she had grown up with against the mythical Nightmare. The fact that the princess over slept was a rather charming reminder that, despite her magical powers and immortality and archaic manner of speaking, Luna was more or less a normal pony.
Whilst Princess Celestia could no more excel in the night as Luna could stir during the day, the former Alicorn had at least a thousand years' experience in having to sometimes stay up later than her desired bedtime and rise even earlier. The Goddess of the Moon was a strictly nocturnal creature and, occasionally, the task of waking her prior to Moonrise was a very difficult one that nopony would dare handle save only the most senior and distinguished.
Which, in the Department of the Night, was Moon Trot's less-than-joyous remit and hers alone. While Celestia employed a half-dozen Hoof Maidens and other tenders, Luna's organisation was far more archaic and clandestine. In her eyes, the most powerful ponies should naturally see to their Princess. Seniority demanded it. Didn't it?
"We shalt dine on thy cake in the drawing room ..." The Princess mumbled, sinking deeper beneath the covers until only her horn protruded from view. " ... Pretell, we wish to know more of ponies flying without wings ..."
Luna coughed, and rolled over before resuming her mumbling. "Astounding ... And thoust calls this contraption an Aero-Plane ..."
One of Moon Trot's faint purple eyebrows cocked up in minor confusion at the odd comments coming from Luna in her sleep, and then she had to struggle to refrain from giggling too hard. She chuckled quietly, however. It was too amusing not to have at least a little bit of a laugh.
Walking around the bed to the windows, Moon Trot gave a long chord a yank that pulled all of the blackout curtains open. Though the windows were not facing the setting sun, the ambient light still lit up the room more than it had been. The darkness on the visible horizon was the call for Luna. She needed to fill the blank darkness.
Moon Trot went back to the bedside and, grabbing the edge of the blanket in her teeth, gave it a sharp yank to pull the blanket free of Luna and of the bed. "Time to rise," she said once she had dropped the blanket, putting her hoof on it and pressing it down so that if Luna hastily tried to re-cover herself it would be at least a little more difficult.
The Princess frowned at the burst of light, eyes still clenched shut as the covers were whisked free. Burying her face in the pillow, Luna's magic once again took the liberty of acting out of turn and groped blindly for the missing warmth. Unfortunately for both the magic and the Minister of the Night, an Alicorn's deductive powers were severely limited in matters of sleepmagicking. The cobalt cloud tugged at the covers but under the weight of the pony pressing down, decided they could not be what would warm their master. The cloud settled around Moon Trot and in a moment, with the limited information at its disposal, deduced this was the errant bedding.
Moon Trot was momentarily shocked into a stun as she was lifted from the floor and made to lay across Luna. Aside from how awkward it was, Moon Trot couldn’t entire complain about this new proximity. She tried to get off of the princess, but the magic held her down. Luna mumbled contentedly at the warmth that draped over her, and the fur that tickled her nose. This was not right at all!
Sighing, the Princess did bother to open her eyes to confirm what she already knew. "We put thine Moon to sleep merely twelve hours ago ... Hath the time come to raise it again so soon?"
With a more conscious direction of magic, Luna set her Minister of the Night back on all fours, on the floor. "We are so very fatigued. Could the Day not last forever, just this one occurrence?"
"Yes," Moon Trot said, "And it’s been thirteen and a half hours. In a few months the days will be getting shorter and you won't have this luxury of sleeping in." She prepared to flip the mattress over when she was asked if the Sun could last all day.
"Hmm, good question," She said in faux sincerity. With a heave of her hooves and a push of magic, the mattress tumbled over to one side and deposited the princess onto the floor in a pile of princess, pillows, and blankets. "How about you get out of bed, brush your teeth, have some breakfast and ask your sister for a few straight days of daylight. If she says yes, I'll let you go back to bed. But for now you must get up and eat breakfast. Fancy Feast won't be happy with you if you wait for your food to get cold...again." she said while walking around to the other side of the bed to fix the mattress and make sure that Luna wasn't going to try and fall asleep on the floor.
"'Tis most indignant to deposit a Princess upon the floor!" Luna grumbled, her errant mane billowing over her features and making it difficult enough just to see. Finally seeing there would be no peace, she climbed to her hooves and indulged in a petulant sigh.
"Would you prefer next time I use the age-old method of pouring a bucket of ice water on your head?" Moon Trot offered, fixing the bedding after Luna had gotten herself out of them. She fluffed the pillows and spread out the sheet and blanket to make the bed, knowing that her efforts would be wasted anyway when the room cleaners came in after Luna had left to do her nightly work and strip the bed to wash the linens.
"'Tis ironic that as our night grows longer, everypony spends longer in dreams whilst we must rouse thineself ever earlier. As for Fancy Feast ..."
The Princess made her way into the bathroom adjoining the chambers. "He hath long since fallen from our favour when we discovered he pre-tested new meals meant for our sister upon us. As if we qualified as a test subject! Most indignant!" Her complaints degenerated from words into sounds as the toothbrush was sent to work
Unfortunately the Minister had no defense in place for Fancy Feast. When she had found out about the meal testing she had been more upset than Luna and thought to write a formal complaint to Celestia about it, but she stopped herself from sending it when she decided that it would be best for Luna to, for lack of a better phrase, 'stand up for herself' on such a matter. Still, Moon Trot had a duty to do and she had paid a personal visit to the kitchen one day to remind Fancy Feast that he was to cook for two now that Luna had returned, not just one.
I wonder if his tail has grown back yet she thought while pulling Luna's royal adornments out of various closets and drawers and setting them out on the bed.
"Just remember that winter may have longer nights but it also has the nicest holidays. Nightmare Night, Thanksgiving, Hearts Warming, New Years, Hearts and Hooves Day, oh and that holiday we spoke to the Mayor of Ponyville about a few weeks ago." Moon Trot had to tap her chin a bit as she recalled the details. "Something about the Moon...I have it written down at my desk. The new one, do you remember?" She asked Luna as she vanished into the bathroom.
"Of course we remember," Luna snapped irritably, emerging from the bathroom with a scowl and a levitated towel. "We are eternal."
Dabbing at her muzzle, the Princess winced at the weak sunlight still streaming through the window. "Thou may tend to our mane now."
Dropping down onto a large cushion positioned ahead of a mirror, Luna stifled a yawn; sleepy eyes rolling around the room disinterestedly. "Hath anything of import been scheduled for thine attentions?"
Moon Trot didn't reply to the irritable Luna as she emerged from the bathroom. Despite her position, Moon Trot knew there was only so much leeway that she could expect before she might truly annoy the Princess. She walked over to the cushion where Luna sat and used the brush she had been maintaining to begin working the knots and general messiness that was the semi-ethereal starlit mane.
She went over a mental summary of the notices and requests that had come across her desk before she went to sleep. "Aside from the daily routines, the only new items are the captain of the weather patrol would like to discuss the schedule for the upcoming season's weather patterns, Upper Crust and Jet Set have sent an invitation to their garden party tonight, an ambassador from The Griffon Republic arrived earlier today and would like a social audience, and the official documentation for the Winter Moon Celebration has been submitted if you care to read it. Its just a longer, drier version of what Ponyville's Mayor told you." She moved from Luna's mane to her tail as she considered anything else. "That is all I can recall off the top of my head."
"Very well ..." Luna nodded enthusiastically, although the Griffon might prove some entertainment. While they were very long-lived, it was unlikely any still walked who could remember Luna prior to her banishment. Their proud tradition of storytelling, however, meant even the youngest could recite the proud history of their race before they could walk - or fly. The Princess of the Night had "enjoyed" many interesting encounters with the Griffons prior to Equestria's founding and during the numerous conflicts that had, prior to her enforced absence, been the norm.
As such, she could almost certainly expect the Griffon Ambassador to believe he would be facing an audience with an Alicorn who had once carried the name "Dread Empress" ... The Griffons could be quite poetic when they made the effort.
"We believe the Equestrian Astronomical Society hath also deined to request our time to discuss thine stars ... We are sure they are to congratulate us on our attempts to restore thine night to that which it should be."
Tipping her muzzle upwards, Luna turned her head as if catching a voice calling her name. " ... It is almost Moonrise. Come, we shall seek out our beloved sister and her Minister, Bright Light."
Moon Trot couldn't blame Luna for the lack of apparent enthusiasm for the day. It was work, after all. All ponies loved their special talents but nopony wanted to go to work. There were even days where Moon Trot didn't want to come in and work. That feeling usually ended once she started doing her duty. Her job, fortunately, was her special talent to a 'T' and so by the time she had Luna up and out of bed for the day she was ready to face the night. Sometimes even eager.
She did her best with the tail but for some reason it was always seemed a little unruly. Once it was in a 'good enough' state she put the brush down and began to place the royal adornments on the princess. Luna mentioned the astronomers and Moon Trot did a face-hoof. She had completely forgotten about them, but that was because she found the process of rearranging stars so tedious and dull that for the stretches of time where she would sit quietly unneeded she tended to zone out and daydream.
"Yes, of course," Moon Trot said, "I apologize for forgetting." She noticed Luna's tilted head as she had been about to put the royal tiara on her. Once it was on, she asked "Does...does the Moon speak?" she asked. A while ago, Luna had confided in Moon Trot that she missed the voice of the moon, that it no longer spoke to her. Now it looked as though LUna was listening to a voice and Moon Trot hoped that maybe, if the moon did speak once more, Luna would feel better.
"It does not speak ..." Luna sighed, shaking her mane. "It ... Reminds us to pay it due attention, but not with words. It is difficult to explain. We hath not heard its voice for a long time and yet, every morn and eve, it doth call us to its service in the same way a foal might whimper or cry; attracting thine attention without ever uttering a word. We hope it will talk to us soon ... We placed great sorrow upon it when we were ... Absent. It hath not forgiven us yet. We would not forgive if roles were reversed."
Swishing her tail, the Princess changed the subject curtly. "Let us proceed."
Moon Trot took the moment between Luna admitting that she would no more forgive the Moon than the Moon had yet to forgive her and stating that they should continue on with the approach of the Night to reach out with her hoof and pat the Princess of the Night on the shoulder. It was a paltry gesture, but it was the best that Moon Trot could think to do. Sometimes simply knowing there was a friendly hoof there to help, even if the pony couldn't actually help, was comforting. It was something her brother, strangely enough, had taught her.
They left Luna's room and descended the tower to a level that was shared with the rest of the castle. From there they went to the central spire and ascended once more, up to the highest peak where they were soon emerging into the twilight of the evening to the sound of Bright Light's voice heralding them.
~*~*~
Princess Celestia stood in all of her regal glory atop the highest tower in Canterlot. The top was scarcely more than a large railed platform with a small nub in its center where the door and stairs were located. For a millennium she had stood alone, handling the rotations of the Sun and the Moon. Prior to that, her beloved sister had stood beside her during the changes from Day to Night and vice versa. Now she was back, and now the regal duo would stand together once more to usher in the end of another day.
"Bright Light?" She said, turning to her most trusted adviser who was waiting by the door, "Do you hear them yet?" she asked, wanting to know if Luna was on her way. Despite displaying the utmost faith in her younger sister, Celestia harbored fear that Nightmare Moon was not gone and that Luna's lack of friendship or comradeship would someday draw the Nightmare back out. Ponyville was taking a shine to Luna, however, and Celestia did her best to encourage her sister to visit the quaint little town as often as she could.
Bright Light was the most powerful pony in all of Equestria who didn't have both wings and a horn ... And some whispered he was even more powerful than anypony who didn't have a Sun or a Moon emblazoned on their flanks - the complex issue of just how much power Cadance did, or did not wield, going unanswered. Beneath the Goddess of the Sun, he had once boasted the title Premier of Equestria; single-hoofedly running the entire Principality regardless of whether the Sun or the Moon stood in the sky. With the return of Luna, the Department of the Night had once again become independent, free and sovereign. Some ponies might chafe under such diminished responsibility, harbour jealousy or resentment for being marginalised.
Bright Light was not one of those ponies. He existed to serve Princess Celestia and her will would be done. While he projected a well-practised air of sincerity and piousness, inside the unicorn was quite looking forward to seeing Moon Trot once more. Ever since her secret remit had expired their meetings had gradually curtailed; without an official need to see each other so regularly they had not spoken in quite some time. Still ... She fulfilled a vital function not only in assisting the Princess Luna but also keeping a watchful eye. While she was more than a capable Minister, she had been chosen because of her talent for subterfuge, for stealth magic and obscuring the truth behind the most believable lies.
The tell-tale clink of diamond shoes upon the smooth stonework shook Bright Light from his ponderings. "Your Solar Highness," He announced stiffly, extending a hoof towards the doorway. "We present to you Her Lunar Highness, Princess Luna and Minister of the Night, Moon Trot."
Moon Trot stopped shortly after emerging onto the platform and took a standing position on the opposite side of the door from Bright Light. She gave the unicorn a polite nod of her head in greeting but otherwise remained silent. She still had not told Luna about her original purpose for 'serving' her and how only in the last few months had that purpose been changed to a far more honest and truthful one. Bright Light, while an admirable enough stallion, was also a reminder of her remaining dishonesty.
Celestia, on the other hoof, was cheered to see her sister emerge from the castle. She walked to her and met her halfway, lifting a hoof to pull Luna into a hug. "Good evening beloved sister," she said, "I trust you enjoyed your rest?"
Luna felt less invited and more dragged into the embrace, but she did little to resist it other than turn her head away and try not to look embarrassed. "We thank thee for thy warm greeting, Sister."
After the exchange, both alicorns climbed the central dais - a raised platform divided into two semicircles of the blackest obsidian and the most brilliant white marble. Their voices hushed, whatever it was they conversed about did not reach the two senior ponies of state standing a short distance away.
"We assume there is no outstanding business to concern us?" Luna broached eventually, feeling as if it were somehow her responsibility to initiate some kind of conversation. The invisible sparks of magic beginning to pool about her sister's horn tickling her nose and scratching at her coat as she watched.
Celestia's eyes had closed while concentration focused her mind and her magic. She had performed the ritual of raising and lowering the Sun so many times that one might think it would be second nature to her. In some ways, it was. The familiar warmth of its light was as comforting to her as her sister's presence; the one constant that had never changed in all her long years. Still, the Sun was big. Some of the more mathematical and scientific minded ponies under her domain had plastered numbers to it over the years. Unfortunately, numbers could only describe so much. To actually feel the Sun, to move it, to be it was so far removed from a string of numbers scribbled on a scroll that Celestia had actually laughed when one pony had tried to compare moving the Sun to moving 'Every mountain in Equestria five thousand times'.
Still though, even with her concentration at the sky where the Sun was gently sinking over the horizon and bringing about the empty darkness that was the temporary void between her and her sister, she could converse.
"Well I had lunch with the Griffon Ambassador. I think he delayed his dinner so he could meet you. Hmm....." The Sun slipped a bit faster for a fraction of a second while Celestia tried to recall other things, but she fixed her concentration fast. "Sorry, today was on the dull side of things so I was sort of zoning out at times. I'll ask Bright Light to update Moon Trot on anything important."
A few seconds later and the Sun was gone, and the remnants of its orange and golden glow were fast fading from the sky.
"Moon Trot hath run thine Night flawlessly," Luna remarked cooly. "We are sure she will yet find details to update Bright Light upon."
Stretching her forehooves, the Princess of the Night bowed her head and stretched forwards. Gathered from the nothingness of the air, ribbons of blue began to coalesce; shimmering and twisting as they began to whirl about the Alicorn's horn. The colours danced and merged, until a terrific azure beam fired outwards - blazing a corruscating trail through the air and stretching into the distance. Hesitantly, as if peeking over a wall, the Moon's mottled, grey tundra crept above the city limits of Canterlot. Gaining courage, the pitted orb climbed higher. Encouraged by the disappearance of the sun the stars themselves began to burn ever-brighter; a canvas of billions of points of light that spread far across a dark blue backing.
The powerful beam of magic erupting from Luna's horn flickered and began to thin before, finally, dissipating. Drawing a deep breath, the Goddess of the Moon nodded in satisfaction. "Once more, we shall guard the Night. As always. Rest, sister."
~*~*~
"I trust the Night continues to thrive under your stewardship?" Bright Light asked suddenly, breaking the silence. "I'd meant to find the time to talk a good while ago but ... As you definitely know, the business of running Equestria is never really done. There's always something demanding attention ..."
Moon Trot glanced at Bright Light when he brought up a new topic of conversation that was, at the same time, an old and rather small talk topic of conversation. "The Night endures my stewardship. It thrives under Luna's presence." She turned her gaze upon the raised dais, looking at the lesser- and yet, in some ways greater- of the Princesses. "She tries so hard to restore what once was and to atone for her mistakes. Each Night she ushers in is as magnificent as the last, and yet somehow surpassing what one could expect. The ponies who toil under the sun and sleep during these hours are truly the lesser for the loss." Moon Trot, for one, had never been more surprised at the sheer beauty the stars and the moon could bring than she had on the night when Luna stepped back into her former duties, but she was more than grateful for it.
She looked back at Bright Light when she remembered he had said more than merely asking about the night. "We have a few minutes to spare now while they change the sky," She said, nodding towards the Princesses, "Unless whatever you need to talk about requires more time than that. I'll need to compare schedules with you and we can make an appointment for it in that case."
"A very poetic description," Bright Light mused as he watched the sun slip below the mountains that surrounded Canterlot. "Nonetheless, mistakes must be paid for - it's the way of all things and even Princesses aren't above such redress. What that redress is, of course, is not for a mere pony like I or you to say."
The Stallion frowned as he considered his counterpart's ... unique take on the situation. "Ponies have always slept in the night and frolicked during the day. It's the natural order of things ... Some ponies were meant for greater things, and with those greater things come great challenges and burdens. Such is the burden of the Night."
Moon Trot suppressed a scowl from forming when Bright Light started talking about Luna being required to pay for her mistakes. From Moon Trot's perspective, the Princess had paid for what she had done. Bright Light did not see the constant regret the dark blue mare all but radiated because he was blinded by the light.
"Things change," She said as counterpoint to 'the natural order', "There once was a time when Pegasai and Unicorn trusted each other as much as the lamb trusts the wolf. There was a time when all ponies frolicked during the day and rested at night. Now there are ponies who sleep the day away and tend to their duties at night. In fact, there are even popular recreational activities that are tended mostly in the darker hours after the work day has finished. The 'natural order' is more evenly distributed."
"Things are fluid," Bright Light agreed, his attention diverted between his eyes that were drawn to watch Luna and his words, directed at Moon Trot. "I meant only that the character of the Night will always be what it is; just as the Day. They have existed as they were since before you or I or anypony walked on the grass or the rock and I suspect, long after we've all gone. I was merely musing, shall we say."
"On the subject of other business,” Bright Light continued, “I assume you've nothing, shall we say, unusual to bring to my attention? Anything that might ... Shall we say, impact the good running of the Day?"
The obvious subtext did little to improve Moon Trot's degrading mood. "Speaking of examples of change, that's another one." She lowered her voice further, "I stopped reporting to you months ago and I will not start now. As I said in my last report, Luna is no longer a threat to Equestria, nor shall she be so long as Equestria returns the faith and hope that Luna is giving to it." She turned her head away from him in sheer frustration.
Bright Light held up a hoof in supplication. "I apologise - I didn't intend for that to sound like an order, or a request for information. Shall we say, I was merely interested in anything that might impact my good running of the Day. Princess Celestia is pleased with Luna's progress and return to her side; consequently I am pleased. Her will be done."
~*~*~
Celestia smiled as she watched her Sister bring about the glory of the Night. "I shall leave you to your duty then beloved sister," she said, giving Luna a graceful friendly bow. She left the dais and went back to the door where the two Ministers were standing. Like Luna and Celestia, Moon Trot and Bright Light were as opposite as day and night, and not only in appearance.
"A pleasure to see you Moon Trot," Celestia said. Moon Trot bowed and returned the sentiment. "Bright Light," Celestia continued, "Please take a few minutes before retiring to update Moon Trot on todays events. Thank you." She said before entering the tower door to descend back to the castle proper.
Luna returned the bow stiffly, and watched her sister depart. Stepping down from the dias, the Princess came to a halt between the two senior-most unicorns in all of Equestria. "What hath thou to tell us of thine land and its affairs?"
Bright Light frowned, taking a few moments to run whatever it was Luna had said through his own mind's translator. "Good Evening, Your Highness. As always, all pertinent business of the Day has been concluded promptly and as such, there are no outstanding issues for your consideration beyond what has already been assigned to you--I mean, what is already awaiting your consideration."
The Stallion smiled, giving not a single indication he was even aware of the slip-up. "I expect the Griffon Ambassador will rise shortly, after the conclusion of this evening's Night Court. Other than that, I have nothing further to advise."
"Thou art dismissed from us," The Princess commanded.
Bowing, Bright Light offered a nod to Moon Trot before disappearing into the bowels of the castle proper.
Luna made to follow. "Let us see then, who hath come to request an audience with us this night."