“Me and My Thoughts”
By TwilightSparkle3562
In her thousand years as ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia had always made mistakes. She was as falable as anypony when it came to making decisions. Recently, she had made critical mistakes that caused her to be put in doubt of her actions as princess. As her sister assumed the role of raising the moon, Celestia sat on her throne thinking of her life up until that moment.
The events of Tirek had weighed heavily on her mind and since that day she sensed his escape, Celestia had dozens and dozens of sleepless nights. She needed to escape, she needed to get the bad thoughts out of her mind, but she couldn’t. Could it be that Celestia was nearing the end of her rule as supreme ruler of Equestria? Could it be that the next mistake would cost her everything that she had built her life around?
“Sister, the moon has been raised,” said Princess Luna as she walked into the throne room. “You can retire to your quarters now.”
But, Celestia didn’t move and instead just sat on her throne in silence. Luna knew that it was time for her sister to retire, but it seemed like Celestia didn’t want to move, almost as if she was comfortable upon her throne.
“You must go, sister,” said Luna again. “You need your rest.”
“I can’t rest,” Celestia finally said, stepping off her throne. “Not until I can understand the future for us.”
Celestia walked past her sister and almost like a zombie, stared at the surroundings of her throne room, walking past the newly repaired doors to the throne room after they were broken down by Tirek. In her mind, Celestia thought that maybe perhaps the next time an enemy just like Tirek attacked Canterlot, she would certainly be overthrown permanently.
“Why would you worry about the future now, sister?” asked Luna, running up to Celestia. “We all make mistakes, you know that. We learn from them, like you said.”
“Don’t you see, Luna?” cried Celestia, struggling to hold back tears. “Tirek got me thinking about how long we will be able to rule over our subjects. All my life I feared for the day when my time would come and I feel that it will soon be now.”
“Perhaps you are just overreacting, dear sister,” suggested Luna as they came up to the window of Twilight’s coronation, which had been repaired by Discord after it was melted by Tirek. “This is why you need to rest. You are putting so much upon yourself.”
“I can’t let it happen again, Luna,” said Celestia, looking up at the window. “I had prepared Twilight Sparkle since her fillyhood for the role that she now undertakes. She will one day succeed us and I fear that she is still not ready.”
Luna knew that her older sister was definitely overreacting and attempted to talk some sense into her, but Celestia was not going to listen. Luna thought that maybe their time in Tartarus had somehow emotionally scarred Celestia. Luna wanted the figure that comforted her, herself and Cadence to appear and comfort Celestia again, but she didn’t know how to call him. Just then, a voice came into Luna’s head that spoke to her in a gentle voice.
“Luna, it’s the master,” said the voice. “I sense your sister’s fear and know she is afraid. Tell her that she needs to focus on one day at a time. Tell her to enjoy the life that she has in the present, not in the past and not in the future.”
Luna took the matter to heart and looked back towards her sister, still looking up at the window.
“Sister, I know the last few days have been hard on you,” said Luna, interrupting her sister’s deep thoughts. “But, remember the lesson that the master taught us about focusing on one day at a time?”
“I can’t focus on one day at a time now, Luna,” said Celestia. “If I focus on one day at a time, then I can’t prepare Twilight for the future enemies that she will face.”
“What future enemies, sister?” remarked Luna, feeling her sister was starting to slip away from her usual self. “Tirek is possibly the last great enemy we will ever have. Come now, you must rest.”
“I cannot rest,” cried Celestia, pacing back and forth across the room. “Twilight needs to learn about these new threats. I’m putting all our trust in her from now on.”
At this point, Luna was starting to see that her sister was becoming ridiculous and used her magic to calm her down, using a spell that relaxed her body. The effects of the spell calmed Celestia down and soon, she was relaxed.
“I’m sorry, sister,” said Celestia, embarrassingly. “You’re right, I am overreacting to the future. I’m just afraid that I will be betrayed by Discord again if I chose him over Twilight.”
“Then don’t send him after our enemies next time, sister,” suggested Luna. “You may have had dear Fluttershy reform him, but Discord is still a creature of chaos, even if he says he will no longer be a threat to our land and our subjects.”
Celestia stopped pacing and then made her way up to her bedroom with her sister following behind. The fear of the future was still in her mind, but Luna was right, she had to focus on one day at a time, whether she liked it or not. Equestria was safe and that was all that mattered to Celestia.
“The master says that we need to focus on one day at a time,” Luna said, reiterating what the master had said in her mind. “We cannot please everyone sister. Trying too hard makes we feel weaker instead of stronger. I made the same mistake when I wanted all of Equestria to experience the night instead of the day. I beg you, sister, do not make the same mistake as I once did.”
Hearing her sister’s pleas, Celestia calmed down and climbed into bed, removing her tiara and royal accessories. It was hard to hear what Luna had said, but it was something she needed to hear. Celestia had to realize that the thought of worrying about the future was something that was only going to hurt her instead of helping her.
For now, she needed to sleep and focus on the present…