//------------------------------// // 04 - Morning Sun (2e) // Story: New Moon // by AzuraKeres //------------------------------// “Princess, princess…” What is this feeling she is having? She couldn’t find the right words to describe it nor understand it for that matter. How strange for it to overcome her so suddenly. A rush of emotions that quaked her mind entirely that it halted her completely. “Princess Celestia,” a voice whispered to her ear. Celestia blinked and swayed her sights to the voice. A red stallion stood next to her. He seemed slightly anxious by the look of his troubled face. “Sunset Spice,” Celestia identified him. He is the Princess’s personal assistant that has aided her in her royal duties for nearly half a decade now. A very respectful stallion, but tenacious a tad to her inconvenience. However, she has enjoyed his company all the same despite his encroachments. It’s good to have a pony that can be upfront with her. There aren’t many that could do the same. “Are you well Princess,” Spice murmured. “Our guests are getting worried.” Spice was right in his observation after Celestia noted similar expressions from the three officials before her throne. As she recalled, they were in the middle of an important discussion until she randomly zoned out by her sudden emotions. Even after drawing herself back to reality, she could not piece out its meaning. No, now is not the time for that. She can meditate about it later. “I apologize for the long pause,” Celestia collected herself. She needed to finish matters with them before she could contemplate any further. “Moving back to our discussion, you were requesting that I host the Summer Sun Celebration at Manehattan, correct?” Three officials from Manehatten stood anxiously before their princess. It’s not rare to receive these requests from town officials, in fact, it’s distressfully frequent. Having the princess to host a significant event at their town would be a surefire way to attract ponies, which is also guaranteed to stimulate their economy. However, the underlying goal saddened her. She had never intended for the event to be a competition for their princess’s blessing, but she held no power to regulate everything her ponies could do and nor would she. Hopefully, her sister would not think of her harshly for this. “T-there's no need to apologize, princess,” one of the officials said. “We understand the multitude of labors you endure. If the morning is perhaps not a good time, we are willing to reschedule our meeting.” “I appreciate your concern,” Celestia smiled. “But there will be no need for that. We shall continue with the matter.” “Then allow me to restate our request,” said another official who bore more courage in his voice. “It would be an honor to Manehatten to orchestrate the Summer Sun Celebration, your grace. Our theater has worked strenuously on a play to recount your efforts in defending us from suffering under the moon for all eternity against the infamous Nightmare Moon. It would please all of Equestria if your presence was there.” A play huh? Celestia would prefer not to remember that tragic night. Though it wouldn’t be as vivid since the text does not tell the entire truth of their relationship. No pony except herself knows that Nightmare Moon is her younger sister and the banishment in truth was a great tragedy to the Sun Princess. For centuries she had endured the torment of not having her sister by her side. If Celestia was honest about the matter, she would admit that she regretted what she did. Perhaps there was a more peaceful option she could've taken that didn’t involve separating herself from her sister. If only she made more time to talk with her, maybe that whole debacle would have never occurred. But she was forced into a corner and in her desperate act to protect her ponies, she committed a terrible deed to her sister. She tried justifying her actions in the decades afterward, but as nights have gone by without her sister, the guilt panged all her excuses to crumbles. She couldn’t even remain at the Castle of Two Sisters any longer, having to enter the room where they had their bout. The memory of it would always come back all at once to her and it would always make her feel ashamed that perhaps she made the wrong decision. So, she decided it was for the best that got away from it all. Canterlot was definitely a nice change of scenery. Far above the forest, the Castle of Two Sister disappeared under the groves of trees. The new halls and tapestries were also an effective distraction, but regardless of all the new things she had, her sister’s moon would always be bare in her sights during the quiet nights. And when she is alone in her room, the only thing she could do was reflect. And those would be the moments she would think of Luna again. She rather not relive that moment again at her ponies’ play, despite missing important contexts. But of course, she won’t simply decline right now. She will give them time to wait. After all, they are her guests until the afternoon. “I see,” Celestia said. “That is an interesting proposal; however you must give me time to ruminate on your offer. There are countless other towns that desire the same and I would like to have a moment to come to a fair selection that all parties can understand.” “Of course Princess,” said the only stallion official among them. His voice sounded a bit disappointed. Nothing that a tour and the finest dishes could mend. Celestia’s maids guided the officials to another room of the Castle to be served breakfast, leaving Celestia and her personal assistant alone at the throne. Celestia sighed and slouched her back on her throne when the doors closed behind them. “Don’t you find it a tad cruel to give them hope,” her assistant voiced. “Your approval on these matters always seem to take place in towns that, how should I say, are ‘irrelevant’.” “They are here until the afternoon, Spice. It would be depressing if I immediately denied them and held them here, knowing they came for nothing.” “Well, the event does take place within a few months, so I guess you can make excuses for the time being.” “My, aren’t you brutal toward your Princess.” “I thought you said behind closed doors we are friends.” He was right, Celestia did permit a close friendship between the two of them as she does with any pony that becomes her personal assistant. Celestia has granted Sunset Spice witness to sides of herself that may appall the mass of their refined Princess. But you can’t expect her to hold on to that persona for an entire day, could you? She needed moments to breathe and let out her frustration. Which is particularly the reason she created Spice’s position in the first place. Sunset Spice was wary of his words when he started his role as Celestia’s assistant. However, after years of exposing her rambunctious complaints, silly antics such as her pranks, and her desire for sweets, the idealistic vision of his Princess was in a way shambled. But in exchange for that, he found sympathy with her which developed into a friendship that was secret to all her ponies. Now Spice has no qualms with speaking his mind to his Princess. “The best I have,” Celestia added to Spice’s statement. She expected a smile from her assistant by her compliment but instead received a frown. “Is something the matter?” “Princess, I can tell something is bothering you. You’ve never spaced out during a meeting like that before.” “I appreciate your concern. But trust me, I am fine.” “Then how do you explain last night?” Spice asked. Celestia sighed, knowing that her assistant was sure to bring that up at some point. As Celestia had dealt with before, the nights have been sad moments where she reflects on her decision from a long time ago. Last night, however, she was unable to repress her despair and bawled in tears moments after saying her goodbye to Spice for the night. Celestia had no idea where those ruptured of emotions came from, but now that she thinks about it, it bore a fair amount of similarities to ones she felt just recently. Was this a pattern? If so, then what purpose does this serve. “Princess,” Spice called to her when she delved into her thoughts for too long. “I’m right here if you want to talk about it.” “There’s no need to concern yourself on the matter. It was simply a random outbreak of emotion.” “That’s not a common thing Princess.” “True, for regular ponies.” “So you want to say it's common among Alicorns to randomly cry for no apparent reason.” “---” Celestia averted her sights from Spice, feeling rather annoyed by her assistant prodding her to come close to validating a silly lie. She wished he could just drop the matter. It’s not like she actually understands it all herself. It happened so suddenly, the unbridled anguish that took over her all at once. It was like finding out some pony important to her died. But that couldn't be the case because that pony is still on the moon. Celestia let out a heavy sigh. Now she was thinking again of her little sister that she unintentionally trapped on the moon for a thousand years. “It’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it right now,” Spice’s voice was caring. “I don’t want to force you. But just know that my ears are always open to anything that worries you It’s probable that I may not have the answers you’re looking for, but I’m certain you’ll feel a lot better if you share it with some pony.” “I promise on the day I’m ready, I will share everything.” Which is most likely the day when her sister returns once the seal has run its course. It won’t be long from now when she comes back. And if that mysterious corruption still possesses her then she will have to find a different way to rid of it with the Elements of Harmony. But before that, she will have to find new wielders for each of them. After her traumatic battle with her little sister, the Elements no longer recognized her worthy of its power. Perhaps because in her heart she blames the Elements for what she did to her sister. How could she wield it if she could no longer trust herself with it? But she couldn’t find any other way to reverse her sister’s infection without the Elements. She could never find out what it was that ailed sister her to begin with. The only thing she knew would have any effect on her were the Elements. So she will have to place her faith in the ponies the Elements will recognize and hope they can do what Celestia could not. They have to be somewhere in Equestria and she intends to find all of them before the day of her sister’s return.