Avatar: The Last Alicorn. Book 4: Alicorn

by Jeweled Pen

Avatar shortie 8: From Nightmares to Dreams

Luna gently sipped her tea, her eyes closed. It didn't matter, though. She could still sense her sister across the table from her. She found it a little funny, now that she thought about it. Her sister's white coat, like their mother's, as opposed to the dark coat of their father. Growing up she'd always felt her coat was better, since it was the coat of the ruler. Now, she wondered if it was a sign that her sister was just that much more pure than her. If Discord's taint had found her, would she have been able to--

“I would have fallen just as you did,” Celestia said firmly.

The dark unicorn cringed, opening her eyes. “Is... it so readily apparent?”

“Yes,” Celestia said with a smile before taking a sip of her own tea. “The guilt and shame flows off you like a waterfall, dear sister. You've done some horrible things, but that doesn't mean you need punish yourself forever. If I had been in your place, I would have been much the same.”

“But... how can you know? Maybe he wouldn't have found the darkness in--”

Celestia burst into laughter. “Did you forget what that monster did to me? What he turned me into?”

Luna blushed and lowered her gaze. “N-no, but... I mean... he was stronger then... perhaps if just the essence...”

“There has always been darkness in my heart. A place of weakness, cracks. I would have fallen just as you had. Perhaps it would have been my fear or laziness. Maybe I would have abandoned my ponies or torn them apart. For you it was your desire to finally outshine me. For Rarity it was her desire to have her family. For Sweetie, her want of her sister's approval. Would you say your daughters were evil? Cruel? That they were capable of great deeds of destruction on their own?”

Luna slowly shook her head.

“You're correct,” Celestia said before taking another sip of her tea. “I spent years with both of them. They are kind, generous young ladies with hearts like their mother. But in even the most golden of hearts, shadows still remain. Discord had thousands of years to develop his craft. There was no way we could have opposed it in but one lifetime.”

The once ruler gave a nod. “You're... right. Of course. But I still can't shake the... the thoughts that... that there was something I could have done.”

“There always is,” Celestia said with a shrug. “But the time has passed. Rarity has fixed what you and I broke. And don't fool yourself; I was just as much to blame as you were. Had I not run, not hid myself away like a coward, perhaps I could have stopped you. Instead I fled and tried to avoid my little sister, so sure that there was nothing I could do to fix this and threw it all at the hooves of the Avatar.”

Luna stared into her tea, the dark liquid swirling thanks to her magic. “You blame yourself too much. Had we... fought, I would have killed you. I was--”

“You were eventually stronger than I,” Celestia said with a nod. “But there was a time. When you first rose to power, when father died.” She sipped her tea and placed it down. “I had... my chance. Vinyl asked me then. Begged me to step in and stop you. To defeat you. I could have. Together, you would have had no chance. There may have been a civil war, but the ponies would have followed me.” She stirred her tea with her magic. “I could have ended the war in a moment. I could have saved so many lives.”

“Why didn't you?” Luna asked softly.

The white mare smiled. “I told you, I was a coward. My sister needed me. My country needed me. But all I could do was run and hide, hoping that somepony else could save me from making the decision. Taking Rarity was just another excuse. I was 'protecting' her, while all I was doing was using her as a shield to allow me to hide.”

Luna chuckled. “I do appreciate it. Protecting my daughter. Sometimes... sometimes I wonder how things would have happened if... if they had been different. If you'd been the...”

“Been Nightmare Moon?” Celestia asked softly.

“Yes.”

“They would not. I may have been even worse than you. Even before I had Discord's power I was a... wonderful tactician. I see that in Sweetie, often. In fact... despite what you may think, you have raised her well. I can see some of both of us in her at times.”

Luna let out a snicker. “I never taught her tactics, though. I had the generals for that.”

Celestia shook her head. “No. Not just that.” A hoof reached out and was gently placed on hers. “She... knows ponies. The way you once did. Rarity has the same skill, I don't deny. But Sweetie can see through a pony, see what they can do and what they will do. She also has the talent to know how to put them to use.” She shivered. “I shudder to imagine what the world would have been like in her sway. In just the short time that you released her, look at how much she accomplished.”

Luna nodded. “Indeed. Trixie may have softened up the air nomads, but Sweetie created an army that... none could oppose. Were she to... were she to have become Nightmare Moon...”

“She may have been the most deadly Nightmare Moon of all time. Or perhaps she would have brought peace, in her own way. I did see her lack of... water bender superiority that many of our predecessors held.”

Luna nodded. “My daughters were both... I wish I could have given them the lives they deserved. The mother they deserved.” She lowered her eyes and for the first time in a while her age shown through. Both mares had aged, their coats fading to almost grays, bones weakening and even their matching clear manes turning light grays.

“Is that why you want to do this?” Celestia asked in a hushed tone. “It... won't make up for what we did.”

“I know. But... I don't feel that there is anything left here for me.” She reached out and put a hoof to hers. “This is a new world. Their world. Rarity has her own family, a strong, noble one. Three beautiful children that will grow up to be like their mother, kind and generous. There's no more place for me here. Perhaps... by doing this, I can do more to help than ever before.”

Celestia eyed her for a few moments before giving a nod. Her hoof pushed back against Luna's. “Very well. Then, dear sister, my answer is yes. You have told Rarity and Sweetie?”

The younger mare gave a soft chuckle and nod. “Yes. They were sad, but they understand. I think Sweetie expected it. They... just want a chance to say good bye.”

Celestia nodded before getting to her hooves.

“Sister?”

The elder walked around the table and wrapped her hooves around the mare. “Then yes, my little darling sister. We will go off into this new world, together. Perhaps in the realm of Spirits, you and I can help to fix the mistakes that we have caused.”

Luna blinked a few times, but soon the tears welled up in her eyes and she reached out, hugging the mare back. “I love you, Tia.”

“And I love you, little Lulu.”

Comments

[Brock_Smash]

Now, she wondered if it was a sign that her sister was just that much more puree than her.

Man, I hate when people are more purée than me...

[eric-emanwu]

And the days days danced by, and the seasons flew, and the time they spent became more like a dream or two.

Luna and Celestia were getting old. Happily spending time with their grandkids and grandnephews/nieces. And yet, despite all the good they'd done in their limited capacities, the patience, the slow forgiveness, the sweeties and the bluebloods, still the two of them felt regret. Sadness and regret, still dominated by their actions in the past.

For her part, Celestia was reassuring the dark lady that she fell just as Luna did. Became the fire monster in the mad world. And in truth, Celestia was wise enough to know that she was no greater to resist Discord than Luna was with the seeds. Recognizing that she allowed her fear to not be there for the family when they needed her. Rather than going out to be a warrior. And C....we all have the potential to become evil. All it takes is the right situation, and either of the girls could be evil. Whether evil actions, or evil character. All it takes is a nudge or a miss or an ego.

Also, as they talked, Celestia admitted that Sweetie actually takes after her in one way: She's a great people person. She understands how ponies think, and that of course lead Azula to bring the earth kingdom and the nomads to their knees. She was Gooooddddd. Could've been the best Nightmare Ever if she got the chance. And an equal opportunity employer too. Of course, built on that much blood would taint her reign forever.

Oh and luna, "I wish I could have given them the lives they deserved. The mother they deserved.” Maybe you didn't give them a proper mom for the first part, but think of all you did for years afterwards? Loving Rarity and Sweetie again. I know it doesn't change what you did, but you've already done something to make up for it.

But, Luna didn't think she could go on in the palace like this anymore. Blueblood and Rarity have a new family, and they didn't necessarily need their grandmother anymore. At least, not with the weight of her sins on her conscious. Which is a shame. I'm sure your grandkids would love to hear stories of what it was like being under discord's thumb as they got older. Understand the feeling of evil even as they avoid it.

But, it seems that Iroh and Ozai are going out on one final adventure together: working in the spirit world to make certain things work out. And if they die on the job...well...they'll be right where they need to be. Maybe they'll even run into Sombra in time. The kids were sad, but they said their goodbyes, and the first of the "old guard" walked away from the flesh world.

[Angel_Bunny]

6710996 RD had two children. Ironwing is Scoots.

[GMZ_Casper]

Look like Luna is doing better, at least enough where she and her sister is spending time together again. All I can really say is that this chapter is sad yet heartwarming.

C&Cs:
Growing up she'd always felt her coat was better, since it was the coat of the ruler.
> Comma after ‘up’.
For you it was your desire to finally outshine me. For Rarity it was her desire to have her family.
> Comma after ‘you’ and ‘Rarity’.
Even before I had Discord's power I was a... wonderful tactician.
> Comma after ‘power’.