Dull orange sunlight shone into the study, dimly illuminating the small room. Bookshelves lined every wall, stretching towards the ceiling. Dusty hardcovers of every color littered the floor, brushing against the oak desk that faced the window. A unicorn with a snow white coat and shimmering pink mane sat crouched over the wooden surface, the light glistening off her horn. Despite being nearly twenty years old, her flank was completely bare, as if it were a blank canvas that awaited an artist’s perfect touch. Her eyes were fixed on the book in front of her, one that detailed the workings of magic. She yawned, before levitating the book aside and lifting up another one, her eyes drifting towards the static sun, which only just poked over the horizon.
Is it morning? Afternoon? Night? Does it even matter?
Her focus returned towards the tome, the unicorn blocking everything else from her mind; it was as if the information contained within the book was crucial to her survival. Her eyes drooped and her head dipped as she continued to read, having to jerk herself back up every so often.
A knock came from the door. “Celestia? Are you still in there?” The door swung open, and in trotted a unicorn with a night blue coat and light blue mane, her flank just as bare as her sister’s.
“Just doing some studying, Luna,” Celestia said in a stoic tone, still gazing down at the book.
Luna closed the door and stepped next to her sister. “A History of Magic and its Workings in the World,” Luna said, reading the title printed at the top of the page. She sighed. “Sister, you have to go to bed. Mother needs help with the crops in the morning. She isn’t an Earth pony, and she needs all the assistance she can get.”
Celestia continued to pour over the tome. “I know. I’ll go to bed soon, I promise.”
“That’s what you say every night,” Luna snorted. “How long will ‘soon’ be tonight? An hour? Two? You need to stop obsessing like this. We don’t have time for it.”
Celestia closed the book, returning it to the shelf before hovering another to the desk. “You say ‘obsess’ as if it’s a bad thing. Some ponies aren’t satisfied with an eternal dawn, however.”
“And what do you think you can do about it?” Luna said, her voice rising. “You think you can do the work of a hundred powerful unicorns? It’s impossible, no matter how skilled you may be at magic. You need to come back to reality. Focus on your family, not your silly books.”
Celestia pushed in her chair and stood up, shooting Luna an annoyed glance. “There’s no harm in me simply learning as much as I can about magic. Perhaps if you took your abilities more seriously and studied more often, I wouldn’t have to do all this myself.”
“Studying doesn’t matter right now! Not starving does!” Luna shouted in protest, levitating the book away from Celestia and slamming it shut. “We need food. But you’re always too tired to help with the crops or scout the forest for berries.”
Celestia resisted the urge to yank the book back from her sister, before she sighed and gazed out the window once more. She had been cooped up in the study for hours, yet the sun remained in its stationary position. In the distance rows of corn stalks lined the ground, drooping and withering under the dull rays of the sun. It was a modest patch of farmland, only enough to feed one family. Beyond the crops, emerald green hills stretched to the horizon, bare and lifeless. She turned her attention back towards Luna and sighed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’ll get to bed as soon as I can. But I’m still going to focus on these ‘silly books’ whenever I have a spare moment.”
“Thank you,” Luna stated, affectionately nuzzling her sister. “I know you’re passionate about your studies, no matter how hopeless I personally think they are. Just keep your priorities straight. That’s all I ask.”
Celestia nodded, yawning as she trudged towards the door with Luna. “I will. I’ll try to get as much sleep as I can so I’ll be able to help tomorrow.” They stepped out of the room, Celestia closing the door as she turned to make her way towards her bedroom. “Good night, Luna.”
“Good night, Celestia. Sleep well,” Luna said, before stepping into her own room and closing the door.
Celestia stopped outside her own door, glancing over to make sure Luna was in her room, listening for any sign of activity. When it became clear Luna was sleeping, she cast a muffling spell to silence any sound she might make, before stepping back into the study and closing the door. Dropping the spell, she pulled herself back over to her desk and lifted another book in front of her: One Day at a Time: how Unicorns bring Light to the World. Once again, she read with an intense concentration, essentially willing off the urge to sleep. The only sound was a scratching quill as Celestia furiously took notes, quickly filling up the page and setting it inside the desk drawer, packing it in against dozens of other scrolls.
I’m sorry, Luna, but I have different priorities right now. Perhaps one day I’ll figure this out, and we can finally rest in a bright world.
Celestia levitated another book in front of her, before she collapsed on her desk, falling asleep before her head even hit the surface.