It was the middle of day time on a Friday afternoon, and within the land of Equestria all was well. The Sun blazed with its comforting light, the birds and animals chirped and scurried around their woodland homes and the Ponies that made up the populace hurried around with varying degrees of urgency to complete their daily tasks.
It was. In a word. Perfect.
And the ponies loved it that way.
The city that practically buzzed with such activity was the Equestrian capital of Canterlot, the hustle and bustle of the capital practically filled the air with a lively buzz as worker ponies carried out their jobs, a sharp snobbish edge coating this buzz as the nobles of the Canterlot elite chatted to themselves about their own worries and troubles, not sparing any thought towards the working class that were obviously beneath them.
Whilst the shining city of white cut stone and gilded rooftops was a bastion of culture and wealth, It was dwarfed by a gargantuan building that rested at the highest tier of Canterlot.
That structure was a castle, one straight out of a fairy tale with high, circular walls and towering spires built of solid white marble with inlaid gold. The entire structure radiated power and wealth, mixed with no small amount of beauty with its surrounding gardens and decorations. The many windows dotting the exterior showing many prominent historical events in beautiful stained glass mosaics.
It was in this castle, more accurately in one of the spires protruding from it, that a pony sat. Within her chambers and by herself, this pony was sat on top of a large, luxurious cushion and occasionally sipped at a small cup of coffee. She was staring out of one of her many windows at the sprawling city below her.
The pony in question possessed many things that set her apart from the others of her race. Firstly, she possessed a pristine coat of Azure blue that complimented nicely with her flowing mane and tail, both darker in shade and covered in star like twinkling lights, flowing in a non existent wind. She possessed a pair of large, majestic wings that matched her coat and a tapering horn that protruded from her forehead, whereas almost all other ponies only possessed one... or neither. Finally, On her flank was an image, one that showed a crescent moon amidst a starry sky... one that showed her sovereignty over it and her penchant for shifting it across the sky twice a day.
She was Princess Luna, Ruler of the night and guardian of dreams.
Luna's large magical capabilities allowed her to focus her vision, effectively honing her eyesight like a telescope until she could pick up minute details of her city as it lived its life. She saw Earth ponies, proud and strong, hauling wagons of goods or working on construction projects to ensure that industry continued. She saw Pegasi soaring through the sky lanes above Canterlot, running errands or delivering packages to ensure communication was efficient. Then she saw the unicorns, using their natural abilities to perform feats of magical prowess for the betterment or entertainment of their kind.
Harmony was, at the very least, present at the visible level.
However, the monarch's attention wasn't focused on her city, amazing as it was... it was focused on one of the many parks dotted around Canterlot. Within the park itself was a small family, composed of a three ponies. A unicorn mother, a pegasi father and a tiny little unicorn filly.
Luna found herself smiling as she witnessed the father chasing the daughter around, making fake and playful snarls and growls that couldn't be heard from where Luna was watching. His daughter screamed and laughed wildly as she bolted towards the safety of her mother's arms, who had a book held in her hooves but gladly relinquished it in order to provide safe haven for her daughter. The father joined in the spontaneous hug and nuzzled his wife and daughter, his wife nuzzling back before they both turned their loving gazes to their child...
The scene of familial bliss would have caused anyone to croon in happiness, but Luna looked upon the scene and found she felt the opposite. The sight of a mother gazing at her child with love in her eyes only inspired sadness in the monarch... a cold, dulling feeling that forced a heavy sight from Luna's lips. the more she watched the worse the feeling was, until she found herself fighting back a tear that threatened to escape from her eye.
However, her gloomy pondering was interrupted by a knocking on the ornate doors of her chambers. She cleared her throat before answering in her practised regal voice.
"Enter"
The door lightly opened and a stallion trotted inside, sporting a styled mane and wearing a black suit, he bowed to Luna.
"Forgive the intrusion, your Majesty, But your sister requests your presence in her throne room"
"Very well. Thank you, Courteous, I shall be along shortly"
"Very good, your Majesty"
Courteous left the room with a bow and left Luna to herself. With one last glance to the city and the families within it, Luna emptied her cup of coffee and prepared a teleportation spell. Shortly thereafter disappearing in a flash of blue light.
*************
The first thing Luna noticed when she arrived in her sister's throne room was the table set out before her, she then noticed the large amounts of food laid across it, then that many of these dishes where her favourites. The last thing she noticed was the only other pony present in the room, this one also possessed a large set of wings and a horn.
This pony, however, was slightly taller than Luna and practically glowed with a shimmering coat of pearlescent white, complimented by a similar waving mane that flowed with hues of blue, pink and green. reminiscent of a morning, on her flank was the image of a fiery radial sun.
This was Celestia, Sovereign ruler of the Day and eldest princess of Equestria
"Ah!" she cried as she practically leapt out of her seat to trot over to her sister, exchanging a nuzzle with the smaller princess
"Good morning, Lulu!" she said
"Morning, Tia" Luna replied, her voice subdued as she suppressed a yawn. It had been a long night and the coffee hadn't done it's job.
"Apologies for keeping you up, Luna, but I just couldn't let you sleep today away considering how important it is! Now come and have some breakfast"
Luna allowed herself to be guided to the table where she took a seat next to her sister, helping herself to some cherry jam on toast with another cup of strong coffee.
"So, Luna, you know what today is?" Celestia's smile hadn't faded and to a tired and slightly brooding Luna, it was beginning to become rather irksome.
"Friday?" she answered blandly, taking the edge off of Celestia's smile.
"No, Lulu, guess again?"
"The day you start a diet of only three cakes a day?"
"No..."
Luna raised her hooves to rub at her tired eyes
"I don't know, Tia, what-"
"Today marks an entire year since you returned to me! To Equestria!"
Now that gave Luna pause, whilst the memories of the atrocities she committed as the villainous nightmare moon where still very fresh and haunting along with the cold loneliness of her thousand year banishment. Her liberation and reformation at the hands of the Mane six had allowed her to put that behind her, still, it took devoting herself solely to her duties as princess of the night to cope with the shame and grief her actions caused. But a year?
It was true what the modern phrase said about time flying...
"A year? To be honest I had forgotten..." she replied dismissively with a shrug and this was enough to reduce Celestia's smile into a frown
"Forgotten? The anniversary of your return to the throne is no small thing, dear, I would think this would be important to you"
"It is! I... I've just been... preoccupied lately" it was this reply that made Celestia look at her little sister with concern, reaching across the table to caress a hoof with her own.
"With what, Lulu, is something wrong?"
"Its nothing, Tia..." Luna trailed off, not wanting to burden her sister.
"Luna please!" Celestia's voice suddenly became firm, her eyes glinted with determination "...I made the mistake of not listening once and It almost cost me everything I have. If something is weighing heavily on you, I'd like you to tell me"
Staring into her sister's eyes was all it took for Luna to relent and after a heavy sigh, she continued.
"Do you ever think that we've missed out? That even with all of our power and influence, we've missed out on some of Life's simplest pleasure's?"
"I'm not sure I understand, dear?"
"Motherhood, Tia"
The word silenced her sister and the room became quiet, Luna could see Celestia thinking about her response and it was several seconds until she replied.
"You remember the... conditions surrounding Alicorns and giving birth, don't you Luna?"
"I do..."
"Then you also understand that the chance of either of us conceiving a child is practically impossible"
"Yes, I do, Sister" Luna found the sadness filling her again as she was reminded of her personal realities and her heart grew heavy, Tia sensed this.
"... However, I still find myself filled with a feeling of longing, of jealousy when I see a mother with her foal... I want that, Tia, more than anything! I want to feel the joy of being a mother, to hug my child when they're scared, to comfort them when they're sad, to smile when they're happy. I want to feel the pride at seeing them grow up to become a great leader. To watch them fall in love and get married, to have children of their own to love. I want the chance every other mare gets!"
Celestia suddenly closed the distance between them, circling around the table to bring Luna into a comforting hug.
"I understand, Lulu, and I'm sorry but the most cruel fact of life is that some things just aren't meant to be...."
"But there are other way's, Tia!" Luna's tone became pleading and desperate as she looked into Tia's eyes, who responded with a hardened look, one made with the intention to refute a lost cause.
"You know the Tenants, Lulu, Princesses aren't aloud to adopt ponies and you know the reasons why!"
Luna wanted to argue, to demand an exception to the laws. She was an Alicorn! Immortal and all powerful! The laws of this land bent to her will, not the other way around!
Celestia sensed the growing feelings of conflict and anger within her sister and quickly looked into her eyes.
"You may have think I've forgotten, Lulu, but I haven't... These feelings, these maternal desires where what drove you down that dark path over a thousand years ago... the grief of childlessness was what started your corruption into nightmare moon!"
Luna saw the tears gathering in her sister's eyes and it instantly caused her own eyes to water.
"Please, Luna, don't let that mare take you from me again! Don't let these feelings distract you from the good you are doing for Our little ponies!"
Luna felt the love and the pleading pour from the words, coupled with the anguish she felt herself... she did the only thing she could.
She cried.
Luna was reduced to sobbing as all the frustration and pain she had accumulated over the past few months came pouring out the surface. She couldn't argue with her sister... some things just weren't meant to be, and as much as that broke her heart she couldn't allow it to turn her against the subjects that had only just accepted her back into their lives.
When her sobs had reduced to sniffles, Celestia looked at Luna with a loving smile.
"Do you feel better?" she said as she wiped away a tear with a wing tip
"A little..." Luna gave a small smile with her reply.
"Good... I know how much these means to you, Luna and you should know that as princesses, we should not only be there for one, but for all our little ponies... we protect them, nurture their spirits and encourage them to live full and happy lives. They can find comfort and love with us, Luna, and if that doesn't describe a mother, I don't know what does"
Luna smiled at that, finding comfort in those words.
"Thank you, Tia... as usual you know what to say to make me feel better"
"It comes with age, Lulu, but please. Enough of these sad subjects... today is one of celebration! Let's have some breakfast and discuss the day ahead of us!"
"Very well"
The sisters resumed their meal, eating their fill of toasts, jams and cereals. Chatting amongst themselves about their respective duties, Celestia spoke of her recent diplomatic talks with the Lord chancellor of the Griffon territories to the east and his insistence on a personal visit to Canterlot, each letter accompanied by roses and flattering words that spoke greatly of his intentions... not reciprocated of course...
Whereas Luna casually chatted about her time within the dreamscape, more accurately about a rather amusing venture in which a small colt cried out for help in battling an evil witch and her pet green monster... which was then revealed to be his mother at mealtimes, the horrifying monster was the dreaded broccoli which she insisting on making him eat. which the two then defeated using armour and weapons made of pots and cutlery.
Food eaten and royal stomachs filled, Celestia set about telling Luna about the day she had planned,
"You're going to love it, dear! The element bearers have been invited and they should be here any minute now! when they arrive we have a small party set up in the gardens; tea, cakes and scones with a quartet and even a firework display! Then we'll have a tour of the city so you can talk with our little ponies. Then we have a VIP booking at the new high class ice cream parlour in the city... and to round it all up, Twilight has asked if you'll attend Ponyville for your first nightmare night celebration!"
Luna giggled at her sister's enthusiasm and nodded, finding the day her sister had planned for her very appealing... especially the ice cream... Luna loved ice cream.
It was then that the doors where opened and one of the butlers totted in with head held high, he bowed to the Princesses before continuing.
"Excuse the interruption, your majesties, but the Element bearers have arrived at the palace"
"Alright, show them in please" Celestia replied
"At once, your grace"
As the butler left the room and several maids rushed into the room to clear away the leftover breakfast, Celestia and Luna stood and made their way over to their respective thrones in order to receive their harmonious friends. Once seated, Celestia turned to her sister.
"Remember, Luna, things have a way of working out in the end"
Luna smiled at that and gathered all of her doubts and fears into a sigh, after which she replied quietly,
"I hope you're right, dear sister, I hope you're right..."