//------------------------------// // 7 - Climbing the Mountain // Story: A Lunar Sunset // by ed-stoneman //------------------------------// As Luna changed into her clean and dry clothes, she reflected on the past couple of hours.  Nobody else knew the truth of what happened to her.  Even Celestia thought that she left Shady Acres a changed person after the government shut it down.  Maybe not cured, but certainly less prone to flaunt her… preferences. The truth was that one of the more sadistic guards had accidentally caused the death of another one of the girls.  The nursing staff was paid well enough to look aside from minor injuries or bruising, but that was too large to ignore.  They forced the local police to make a full scale investigation, and the whole place was shut down faster than anyone could imagine. Luna was content to let Celestia labor under her delusion, she was still very involved with the church, and it was just easier that way. Pulling a brush through her hair, Luna looked at the rest of the afternoon.  This was certainly a far cry from the original plan of looking into magic, but her mind really wasn’t on the task at all.  After the events of earlier today, Luna was even more reserved about digging into things blindly.  After all, if just talking about her equestrian counterpart caused this in her, what would happen if Sunset were to return to being a she-demon?  The risk wasn’t worth it in her estimation. Sunset was waiting in the kitchen, a cooler next to her.  She had changed from her comfortable clothes into a pair of shorts and hiking boots. “If we are going to take a hike, I figured that we could use some snacks while we are at it.” Luna nodded at the forethought, and Sunset led them to the garage. “Do you mind if I drive?  I don’t do well as a passenger.” The mustang beeped as it unlocked.  Sunset put the cooler into the back seat as the garage door opened.  Getting into the car, she hit the button to lower the top of the convertible. Luna smiled as she got into the passenger seat.  The gir certainly had style, and seemed to be taking the events of the morning in stride. As the car roared to life, Sunset pulled out of the garage. “Where to?” Luna pointed to the west. “Lookout Mountain please.  There is a perfect spot, and we should be able to make it in time to see everything.” Without another word, Sunset eased the car onto the road and headed to the highway.  Both women's hair streaming behind them. “Do you mind some music?” At a negative shake from Luna, the younger woman turned the stereo on to an upbeat jazz number. “I never figured you for a jazz person, Sunset.” “I love it.  I think that the music is just so freeing, and the players do it because they want to, not because they can sell a million albums.  People anymore want to hear the same songs over and over, and I just want to hear someone loving the music that they make.” The dark haired administrator nodded at this.  Maybe there was something more to this young woman than just rock and roll, flaming hair, and rampant magic. Both women listened in silence for nearly an hour before the turnoff for the hiking trail came up. “Exit here and take your first right.  The road isn’t marked but it is the best spot.  Once you turn off, just follow it to the top.” Sunset nodded and followed the directions, turning onto a dirt road that led up the mountain. “You may owe me a car wash after this.” Luna was about to respond until she saw the joking grin that Sunset flashed at her.  She stuck her tongue out at the redhead, and was greeted by laughter. As they pulled up to the flat plateau near the top of the mountain, Luna was happy to see that they had made it with enough time. “This  is the second best place to watch the sun set in the whole city.  I like to come up here on Saturdays and just watch the night fall.  It has become somewhat of a weekend ritual for me in the last few years.” “Any particular reason?” Sunset inquired. “As a teacher, you may think that our  days end with the last bell, but to be honest, we work many hours extra during the week.  When I became the Vice-Principal, that workload only increased.  I found myself also working on Saturdays.  I have  been coming up here at the end of my Saturdays so that I can just let the tension of the week go, and enjoy the beginning of my single day off.  It may sound crazy to you, but I feel that I am more alive during the night, that that is when I am most at peace.  Though after hearing about my Equestrian counterpart, that makes more sense.  Thinking about it now, I suppose that it wouldn’t sound crazy to you at all.” Sunset smiled as she pulled the small cooler out of the back of the car. “You’re right.  It is actually something that I wondered about.  It seems that the similarities between you and Princess Luna are fairly far reaching.  I suspect that you may be a bit more personable though.” Sunset opened the trunk of the car and pulled out two of the folding chairs that she kept in there for emergencies.  Silently she passed one to Luna, and set the cooler on the ground between them as they took their seats, watching the sky darken from blue to orange. “More personable?  How do you mean, exactly?” Sighing, Sunset reached into the cooler and grabbed a bottle of water and a sandwich, offering them to Luna. “From everything that I have heard, the Princess is cold, and intimidating.  I understand that she is feared by everyone more than she is loved.  With you, here, I feel like this is a natural conversation.  I haven’t ever felt like you have been an off putting presence in the school, and everyone who ever speaks to you has nothing but good things to say.  Even when you spoke to Fluttershy last week about her scooter, it seemed like you were being fully genuine, not just trying to make yourself out to be more approachable.” Opening her water, Luna nodded slowly. “I like to think that I am still quite close to the students.  I may be older, but I think that their problems are more relatable.” “How So?” “As with most things in my life, that comes back to my sister.  Celestia was raised and still believes in the iron rules of the church.  While she may be a wonderful educator, in her heart she still sees things through that very black-and-white view.  I feel that that lense was broken for me.  I know that there is more in this world than what the church tried to instill in me, and that nothing is ever as simple as we try to make it seem.” Sunset nodded to the oncoming darkness. “I suppose that makes sense given what you went through.  If I may, can I ask a question?” “Of course.” Steeling herself, Sunset asked the one thing that was on her mind more than anything. “Does Celestia know… what happened?” Luna gave a quiet, bitter laugh. “No beating around the bush there.” “I’m sorry.  You don’t hav…” “No, it is quite okay.  I should have expected it.  In short, no.  Celestia knows nothing other than what the rest of the world knows.  My sister, though I fundamentally disagree with her on this matter, is very happy in her worldview.  I would not hurt her by bringing to light the suffering that I endured at the hands of those… monsters.  She and I have an agreement that we do not discuss either the church nor my relationships, should I have any.  It would only open wounds that are better left closed.” ------------- Sunset nodded to the darkening evening.  It made sense to her, leaving those doors closed.  In the interest of maintaining the sisterly bonds that were left, Luna chose to endure in silence.  The flame-haired girl wondered if things would have turned out different for her in Equestria if she had made the same choice. Taking a thoughtful bite of her own sandwich, she explored the possibilities of that for a moment.  Would she still be in Equestria, studying under Princess Celestia?  Would Twilight have ascended to the power of the alicorn?  It was a deep and branching path of decisions and consequences that she couldn’t find a resolution to.  In the End, Sunset decided that things were exactly how they were, and they wouldn’t change.  Ultimately, going down that path was fruitless. There was one other thought that Luna had opened for the younger woman though. There was no denying the fact that Luna had been quite open with Sunset.  Sharing details and secrets of her human life that seemed to not have seen the light of day before. “Sunset Shimmer?  Are you quite alright?  You have been silent for a while.”  Luna looked concerned. “I was just thinking that you and I aren’t as different as it may seem.” Luna raised her eyebrows in question. “How do you mean?” “You left your home, ultimately, because of the actions of your sister, right?” “When it comes down to it, yes, I suppose that is the case.” Sunset nodded more to herself than to Luna. “In my world, I left because of the actions of Celestia as well...”