“Dear Princess Luna,
Today I learned that you can be skilled and demonstrate that skill, without being afraid of your friends thinking of you as a show-off.
My half-sister (long story) Trixie came to town recently, and through a chain of events the town ended up getting attacked by a hydra. My good friend Starlight had been hiding her own magical talent for a long time, and pretending that Trixie was more skilled than she actually was. Nothing got too damaged, and Trixie and Starlight are recuperating in Ponyville General Hospital. Pinkie has been meeting with them about what they’ll do when they’re back on their hooves, as neither of them wants to (in Trixie’s words) “be hoofed bits for nothing”.In other news, Miss Ivory Scroll (our mayor) actually came to see me today with a bunch of paperwork. Sunset had to chase her off before helping me, it was all about my estate’s endowments to the orphanage here in town and to the hospital.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Your friend, Twilight Sparkle. (Scribed by Spike Irontail, dictated.)”
“Dear Twilight Sparkle, Duchess of Everfree
I am most glad to hear that you are settling well in your new home. I know all too well how hard it is to adjust to responsibility suddenly thrust upon you. Tia thinks that writing these letters myself will assist me with learning the new common tongue, as it is alien to me. Her scribe, miss Raven Inkwell, has been a great help in shaping these strange characters for me.I must admit that I am dismayed and concerned for the news of your sister! You may be amused to learn that I am engaged in a great deal of study to catch up on the modern world. Your sister Beatrix Lulamoon is descended from a tribe called shaedn in the old tongue- what you know now as Nocturne. These were the ponies who followed me in my madness, and walked in my moonlight. It doesn’t surprise me that Pinkamina is offering assistance- I also learned that her family is descended from the same line.
You bring your line great honor; in my time your ancestor Platinum cared for many foals left parentless by the Unification War.Your letters are always a comfort in these times, and I look forward to your next one.
Princess Luna Aeterna. (Scribed by Raven Inkwell, dictated. Note: She wished to use her full title, I cited paper costs as reason not to do so.)”
“Dear Princess Luna,
I’m sorry for the late (or early) timing of this letter. I’ve been doing research and have hit a wall. Namely, I can’t actually find much of anything about anything pertaining to the early or pre Unification periods. We know that the Founders and the Pillars existed, but our history seems to begin with Celestia’s reign. Sunset can’t help, and I’m not about to ask Celestia. Could you help me?
Your friend, Twilight Sparkle.
Twilight’s eyes opened, and she found herself nestled among the roots of a great tree, pale moonlight sparkling on the fieldgrass around her. Crickets chirped, and somewhere an owl hooted. Everything was calm, quiet, at its very best. Her ears twitched as soft hoofbeats sounded closeby in the sleepy night.
“Do you like it, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight gazed up at the few clouds shrouding the starry sky, and smiled faintly. She took in a deep breath, and let it out. Breathing out stress, and breathing in rest.
“It’s lovely, Princess.”
A weight settled close to her, and she looked up into the stern yet unsure face of Princess Luna, her sparkling eyes hidden behind a sheaf of navy-blue mane.
“I am… Regaining strength by the day. In the old times, dreams had the power to become real. We were warriors before we were rulers. My sister guarded our ponies’ bodies during the day, and I kept their sanity during the night. She has done…” She sniffed. “An acceptable job in my absence. It will take me years to correct the paths of certain stars, but that’s neither here nor there. You wished to know things, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight knew she should be vibrating with excitement, but she could barely muster even a wiggle. She tucked herself under the larger pony’s wings and gazed up at her. “Yes Princess.”
Luna’s eyes closed, and the dream slowly faded around them. “I will assume you have a passing knowledge of the Book of the Path, whether or not you are religious, and skip over things that don’t matter.”
She cleared her throat and gestured with a hoof as within short order the void around them twinkled with a multitude of suns, with Arreat forming beneath them set in its orbit.
“In the beginning there was light, then the stars in the sky, and then Styrha laid down the planets.”
The planet cooled beneath them, and water and greenery inched across its visible surface.
“Thyrha then created living things- everything that flies and crawls and swims, etcetera.”
In the crescent of a river, a small palisade was erected.
“And then Tyrha brought reason, and magic, to a select few creatures. This is where our story begins. You know the history of the Unification War, how ponykind fought amongst itself and lead their King to despair, and the windigoes destroyed their ancestral homeland in the north. My sister and I were born around this time, and were orphaned by the war.”
She was silent, and Twilight pursed her lips as she absorbed the sight of watching her entire world come into being before her.
“The Elements, and the virtues borne by the Pillars, correspond to the gifts that each of the Mothers gave ponykind. When we ascended to Alicorn-hood, my sister and I were each gifted with three of these virtues, and used three of the Elements.”
She waved a hoof, and Canterlot was swiftly erected upon the tallest mountain, overlooking what would become the heartland of Equestria.
“To my sister was given Honor, Justice, and Wisdom.”
Another gesture, and a fortress grew amongst the great forest beneath the mountain.
“I was given Inspiration, Joy, and Mercy. During this time, before Sombra raised his armies to the north, before Tirek, before… everything, my sister and I were at peace. The Pillars vanquished threats to our nation, and our ponies grew beneath our wings.”
Twilight pursed her lips. “The few things that still exist about that time… they say that Everfree was a city of art, of laughter and song, and of medicine. And that Celestia routinely executed criminals, but Canterlot was where the Guard first formed, and still today is one of the greatest places of learning in the country- if not the world.”
Luna nodded. “My sister was vain, brutal, and cruel. It was just her way. But you saw for yourself the Moment’s power. When I first fell to madness, she felt the first pangs of grief. When she used the Elements against me, there was a timeless second where she saw the world through my eyes. More importantly, she saw herself with my gifts. I can imagine she’s purged all mention of the time before the Moment.”
Twilight nodded faintly, thinking of the small Earth pony she’d lead from darkness. “So what about the Elements?”
Luna shrugged slightly. “My sister and I know what they are, but not how they were made. Starswirl the Bearded created them. His last and greatest work before vanishing from the fields of Equestria was a spell that required six casters. He called it the Omniomorphic Spell- the Spell of All Things. When we used them, there was a feeling of judgment. I can’t imagine what would have happened if we were found unworthy.”
She ruffled Twilight’s mane. “I’m sure you can figure out their mysteries though, young Twilight Sparkle.”
She smiled and rose to leave, the dream slowly fading.
“Luna?”
She stiffened and looked over her shoulder.
“Sunset is taking Spike back to Canterlot for Extreme Weather Week. I’m sure she’d like to spend time with you while she’s there.”
Twilight managed to keep a straight face as the Lunar Princess suddenly looked bashful and her wings flicked awkwardly.
“I-I’m sure I’d enjoy it as well. Although a rematch is probably out of the question. Perhaps I’ll ask her to… tea?”
Twilight yawned expansively and settled back down to sleep. “I’m sure she’d like that. Goodnight Luna. It was nice talking to you.”
Luna smiled broadly as she slowly faded. “I’ll have to inform the Heartmender of our meeting. She’d call it “progress”.”