Camp Orion

by Meemie7

Chapter 2: Luna

My wings carry my as fast as they can through the halls of the castle. Why did she not wake me up!? This is a serious matter! Village after village is facing calamity and she had not bothered to think that I might be of assistance! I bank hard as I turn the corner. Just down the hall are the massive double doors to my sister’s study. Two guards stand at both sides of the doors. They catch sight of me and stiffen. “Let me pass.” I state in the royal equestrian voice. The guards do not think twice before they open the door and I fly straight through. The large study is lit by a steady fire in the fireplace. I find my sister sitting the the middle of heaps of opened letters, almost like she was expecting me.

“Hello, Lulu. Did you sleep well?”

“What kind of a bureaucracy are you running where you leave your only co-leader and sister to sleep during a national crisis!?” The white alicorn chuckles and stands up.

“Luna, it is not a crisis at all. No lives were put in danger and the Royal Guard managed to take care of the majority of the problems. Right now, they are just cleaning up.”

“It still must have caused mass panic, Celestia! Are you not concerned about that?”

“Sometimes ponies need a bit of excitement in their lives. We’ll discuss that matter later but, right now, let’s talk about you.” A golden hoof waves to the two guards standing inside the door and they leave the room.

“Me!? You are concerned about me at a time like this!?” My sisters face turns from her warm smile to a cold, torn expression and I keep quiet. After a long silence, Celestia hands a letter to me.

“I received this from Twilight today.” I scan over it and I know exactly what this discussion is about. “Luna… what’s going on, really? And don’t just say that you’re fine.” I swallow hard.

“I… Celestia, it really is fine. I’m fine, now. The Tantibus won’t give me the nightmare again. I won’t let it.”

“So, you still have it.” I take a hoof step back.

“Y-yes…” Celestia sighs.

“Luna, please… don’t do this. You can’t hold yourself to the past. Not like this.”

“I’m not, I’m fine now!”

“Then, why do you still have the Tantibus?” I don’t reply. I never did expect it to go away completely. I just have more control over it now.

“Celestia, I’m sorry. The Tantibus will not escape again.”

“That’s not the point, Luna! I don’t care whether the Tantibus escapes into the real world or not. Right now, I want to know that it’s not hurting you. That you are not hurting yourself.”

“And I’m telling you, I’m not. Sister, I am fine. Really, I am.”

“But-“ A knock interrupts my sister and a guard enters.

“I sincerely apologize, your majesties, but we have found Discord in Trottingham. We need your intervention if we hope to corner him.” I let my shoulders relax.

“We’re not done, Luna. We will discuss this later.”