Luna tells Twilight a story of when she and her sister were young, and Celestia built a bridge across a stream.

Some dreamers are just better at it than others.

Entry to the May Pairings Contest 2020.

Image originally by Esuka.

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Also, big thanks to Aragon for editing help!

It's the oldest chocolate shop in Equestria, the very first -- and on this night, it's also out of business. The final treats have been sold, the vultures have already begun to circle the equipment, and the proprietor polishes the remains out of pure habit while wondering what to do with her life. But that question will have to wait, as she has one more customer to take care of.

The very first.

(A stand-alone, no-prior-reading necessary part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group. New members and trope edits welcome.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.
Cover art by Pikamander2.

Their chariot shone like silver, roared like thunder, and blew fire hotter than dragons' breath. And everypony knew the day had finally arrived. The Goddesses had returned.

But everypony had forgotten why the Goddesses had left them...

Princess Luna has returned to Equestria from her millennium of exile, but much has been lost to her: centuries of time, the respect and admiration of a nation, and perhaps worst of all, the beautiful stars in her mane.

Fortunately, she hasn't lost the love of her sister.

Entrant to the first Quills and Sofas Speedwriting competition for the prompt "The Stars are Gone".

Luna has found that many things have changed since she was banished. Technology, culture, even cuisine had grown and advanced far beyond what she could have imagined back in the old days.

But there's one thing that she always thought would remain constant, and yet it seems to have changed the most.

Who better to ask about it that the one pony to have lived through years of change?

But can she handle the answer?

***

Full disclosure: this was my entry into the Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Competition. Though I do admit that I went back and expanded it and did some editing between the contest ending and when I posted it.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Princess who sacrificed herself to save all of Equestria from a terrible fate. Now it is time for those who were saved by her actions to repay that debt, and bring back the Sun. If they can.

Cover art by GroaningGreyAgony
Audiobook reading by the incredible Illya Leonov
Winner of second place in the Through Fire writeoff
And now on Equestria Daily

It seems Princess Luna has been abandoning her royal duties and vanishing every Friday night.

There's no reason, no notes, no clues as to where or why she keeps disappearing.

So Celestia sets out to discover what has been happening to her sister.

A thousand years ago, a series of popular bodice-rippers were published by a mysterious writer who wrote under the nom de plume of 'Gibbous Eclaire'. Books in the series ended rather suddenly, and what exactly had happened became one of Equestria's many mysteries.

Meanwhile, in the modern day, a burnt-out Luna frets over palace paperwork, and looks fondly at a spare inkpot and a pair of crossed quills.

(Tagged teen for innuendo and implicit writing: altered as per community guidelines)

When Celestia went on sabbatical into the west, she promised Twilight it would be only a couple of months. A year and a half later, the sun resists control, the country is in ruins, and her teacher is lost in the wilds. Twilight has become the apostate, her faith in her teacher and her teachings waning. In the wake of tragedy, her resentment blossoms into fury and she vows that something must be done. Shadows gather around Canterlot, and old things that should not have been awakened are on the move. The Student goes west, her hope restored by friendship and righteous fury.

The night, at long last, is passing.