A Journey Unthought Of

by Hustlin Tom

Chapter Sixty-Five

Princess Celestia couldn’t believe what she had just heard. “What? Why did you leave the castle? You could have been in terrible danger!”

Princess Luna gave a tiny huff, “I’m not a child; I can perform my magic from anywhere I choose. I sensed him on the ground below, and I investigated. He is a kind being, not willing to commit any violence.”

Princes Celestia shook her head in frustration, “You weren’t there Luna! One minute, he was as diplomatic as could be, the next he was trying to strangle me!”

“There is not a chance in the cosmos he would have performed such an act of his own volition. He is docile, and simply wanted to be left in peace.”

“Luna, there’s no way you could know that for sure.”

“There is: I have dominion over the mind and all dreams, if you recall. I knew his mind, and he was a peaceable human being. If there is an invasion force, Adam the human is not in league with them.”

“Bunsen Burner said that humans have telepathic abilities; he must have lied to you,” Princess Celestia defensively offered.

Princess Luna sighed with exasperation, “ ’Tis false! Sister, why won’t you listen to me?”

“I don’t know what they’ve told you about themselves, Luna, but it must all be lies.”

“We can trust Adam more than any other being in this world!”

“How can you believe that, Luna?”

“Because,” Princess Luna stopped, and looked for a reason she felt she could trust the human she’d met. She had no reason to implicitly trust anyone, even of her own species. However, something about Adam seemed familiar. Stranger still, though she was decades, centuries older then the human being, she had an unfounded and innate trust of him, almost like he was a father figure to her.

Princess Luna couldn’t come up with a reason to logically explain to her sister why she felt the way she did, so all she could offer was, “I cannot offer you a reason founded in logic or fact, only belief and faith. If you have ever trusted me, Tia, please, do it for me now. You cannot trust the silver-tongued Bunsen Burner.”

“Luna, I love you. You know that, but I don’t think I can believe this human to be docile. If it were not the small size of his hands and our regenerative anatomy, I would have the bruises from his attack. I trust Bunsen Burner with my life, and he has been of great use to Equestria and to us.”

“Sister, are you sure of whom is in service to whom? You have allowed him to control your every decision, both large and small. He cannot respect you if you don’t take your rightful duties into your hooves!”

“That’s enough Luna.”

“In the time I've been gone, you’ve changed greatly. You used to be more than a figurehead! When I was plotting against you to bring night eternal, you ruled your subjects with firm but gentle grace. You cared about ponies then as you do now, but you shirk your authority!”

“Stop it Luna, stop it!” Princess Celestia’s voice was twinged with veiled desperation.

“Why have you forsaken your duties? You may be loved, but can others respect you if all you are is a pony who cuts a ribbon here, smiles there—“

“Princess Luna, hold your tongue!” The edge in Princess voice cracked as she spoke, and tears began to well into her eyes. “Be silent,” she whispered softly.

Princess Luna had to oblige, but she was utterly shocked to see her sister like this. “You don’t know,” The Princess of Sun spoke shakily as tiny tears rolled down her eyes, “What it was like without you. We were meant to rule together for a reason. One pony is not meant to rule the world unopposed. When I sent you away for a thousand years, I was heartbroken for both your loss and mine. You lost yourself, and I lost a wonderful sister and friend. But with each passing day, I came to see the absolute power I held; and oh,” she closed her eyes and groaned as if in agonizing pain, “I was so greatly tempted. I was tempted to institute my own iron will over others. There were days I considered it for their own good; I would try to justify it. I could have just as easily become like Nightmare Moon; I could have made a kingdom of the Sun, a Solar Empire to last for countless generations. But I was made to realize that if I remained in the position I was, I would be like the Sun when it has overstayed its welcome; everything would burn. I severed our link to the Elements of Harmony, and I created a Royal Family to govern the world we created.”

“So that is what you did? You locked yourself away so you could do no good at all rather than risk doing anything tyrannical?”

“No,” Princess Celestia shook her head, “I was not idle. I did take some time for myself; some time to think, to live, to love. It was through those years I truly learned what the Elements of Harmony are really meant to represent. So I taught others what I’d learned, and I have served Equestria through them for hundreds of years.”

Realization came to Princess Luna’s face, “You mean your students?”

Princess Celestia nodded, “They have been my gift to the world.”

“All the same, I hold my doubts of Bunsen Burner. Even if he was a gift to the world, you may have given the world the wrong gift altogether.”

Princess Celestia looked down to her sister with a silent sadness. The melancholy that filled her eyes expressed to Princess Luna that she was hurt by her distrust of her former student, because it also meant she didn’t fully trust her sister’s judgment.

Princess Luna tried to apologize, tried to make her words softer, “Tia—“

“Good night, Luna,” Princess Celestia said in a pained whisper, and she spread her wings and took flight to her own chambers, leaving a guilt filled sister behind her.

Comments

[Hustlin Tom]

Hey everyone. It's going to be a couple days before i respond to any comments. Unfortunately, my Grandfather passed away a few nights ago, and the funeral is to be tomorrow. The earliest I'll be back is probably Sunday evening. Hope you enjoy the update.

[kararnos]

dun dun DUN!!!

shit is about to hit the fan!!!

[Sentinel]

image.spreadshirt.com/image-server/image/composition/19613985/view/1/producttypecolor/2/type/png/width/280/height/280/smack-a-filly_design.png

[Katamariguy]

Four chapters at once? Oh boy.

[Hustlin Tom]

746869
Yes. Things are about to come to a head!
748568
Quite possibly.
750209
SOON.
750250
I couldn't justify keeping the last two chapters as one. That would've just run on for to long in my opinion. So, I made it four instead!