The two sisters stood at the front of the spacious Royal balcony, Celestia guiding Luna in the ways of managing the sun. Although on one level it was a celestial body just like the moon, it was nonetheless an extension of Celestia and had a personality to be understood before anypony other than its rightful handler could hope to achieve the desired results.
Once the sun had been safely laid to rest, Celestia stood back, projecting her sister onto centre stage and giving tacit permission for her to raise the moon by herself for the first time in over a thousand years.
Luna was nervous and drew her agitated pacing to a reluctant close as images of her past as Nightmare Moon played before her eyes. She looked up to her sister imploringly as if seeking final approval and then took up a stance that had been so commonplace in centuries gone by, yet had grown to become synonymous with the very rise of evil itself.
Celestia lit her horn and fired a stream of magic over the horizon to where they both knew the moon was waiting, although her effort was in fact nothing more than show, a token to bridge the gulf in her sister’s self-confidence. Encouraged, Luna lit her horn too, directing her blue magic along the path described by her sister’s yellow aura and started to tease the moon from its repose.
The moon stirred in surprise at the unaccustomed feel of an all but forgotten touch and peeked inquisitively over the horizon to reacquaint itself with an old friend, making sure to be on its best behaviour as it rose happily to take its place in the night sky.
The aloof and stand-offish Princess of the Night was so obviously happy with her achievement that she was dancing on the tips of her hooves and Twilight watched the joyous spectacle with glee, clapping her hooves together excitedly.
Luna was finally back in her element, summoning constellations and creating exotic patterns in the night sky, rediscovering a confidence that she had not known in a long time. Celestia meanwhile, continued to wear a look that transcended her sadness and Twilight found it dangerous to speculate as to how the Sun Princess truly felt on the inside. She turned away, leaving Luna to exercise free rein over the night sky, flashes of inspiration shooting forth to create the most beautiful night time display seen over Equestria in hundreds of years.
“Celestia” whispered Twilight as the majestic white mare drew close, “Would you like some company?”
“Yes, Twilight” replied the Sun Princess, “If you would be prepared to permit me the indulgence. Even though you may not understand, I feel I owe you an explanation.”
With that, she whisked past, further words caught unspoken in her throat; Twilight noticing a silvery glistening around the proud mare’s eyes.
She led them back towards her private chambers, leaving word for the serving staff to attend them there and walked, distractedly along the corridors, three of her steps to every four of Twilight’s. The guards sprang dutifully to attention and parted to make way for their Princess who issued little more than a cursory acknowledgment before swishing regally in through the doors, only then to unwind a little as she kicked off her hoofguards and felt the soft thrill of the sumptuous pile beneath her hooves.
A smell of fresh carpet and fading disinfectant permeated the apartments, thankfully replacing the stale and putrid stench of earlier. Celestia nudged her bedroom door open and observed casually how pristine it now appeared as she strode through and opened the floor to ceiling windows onto her private balcony.
“Here” she announced nonchalantly to nopony in particular, “Here is where we shall have dinner this evening.”
Twilight, having slowed when she entered the apartments now caught up hesitantly and peered around the door frame, taking in the breathtaking view afforded from the fabulous vantage point of her personal balcony.
She inched forward to the carved stone balustrade and raised one forehoof tentatively as she feasted on the full majesty of the panorama spread out for her; the clusters of lights from scattered distant hamlets as darkness confiscated the last tattered remnants of their day. Whilst the view looking down was spectacular, she raised her head slowly and gasped in awe to see a skyscape more fabulous in its twinkling beauty than any bejewelled creation that even her elegant fashionista friend Rarity could imagine.
Twilight’s eyes grew wide as she tried to take it all in and looked spellbound to Celestia to share the intensity of the moment, but instead of returning her gaze, the white mare just stared unseeingly to a point somewhere beyond the unparalleled vista, out towards something that meant more, so much more to her; something forever unattainable.
Celestia’s flat response shook Twilight as she suddenly became aware of the sound of pinafored staff behind them laying a table for dinner; sounds of which she had been completely oblivious even only a few seconds earlier.
Suddenly, a vestige of reality threatened to burst the magic of the moment and she took the few steps bridging the gap between her and the Sun Princess, nuzzling in close and feeling the warmth that had comforted her so many times before. Somehow, she knew that tonight she wasn’t the one who would need support; it was clear even to her that the beloved pony by her side needed somepony, and deep within her realised it was only her who could help mend whatever was broken.
She felt a ripple of nervousness run through her body, not knowing where this may end, but equally determined to see it through; be that for duty, for friendship or for love? She could no longer tell the difference as the meaning between the concepts blurred together and all that mattered was the kind and giving Celestia.
Twilight leaned in more closely, closing her eyes and allowing a smile to cross her face as she surrendered herself sublimely to her destiny.
“I’m here for you, Celestia” she whispered.
Overhead, a shooting star flashed brightly.