//------------------------------// // Confronting the Past // Story: The Journal of the Reunited Two Sisters // by AutoPony //------------------------------// It had been a few weeks since my sister had rushed into my room as I prepared for another new day. Between the news she had managed to calm the nightmare of one of our ponies for the first time and the new physical changes to her mane and coat, It was a lot to digest for so early in the morning. Nonetheless, I was ecstatic to hear of her progress, as well as see her so joyful. Curiously, she did not seem eager to divulge who she had helped. Not that it necessarily mattered. I found out later that same morning when I received a correspondence from my treasured student, Twilight Sparkle. It was less of an explanation and more of an inquiry, but it connected the dots for me when, out of the blue, Twilight admitted to me she felt a bit pressured with her new studies. While I thanked her for being honest and assured her there was no rush, I didn't ask what had suddenly gotten her to write to me. I had brought it up with Luna, who eventually admitted it was indeed my student whom she had helped, but was adamant in keeping quiet about her new abilities for the time being. I think she was still a bit nervous even after getting her first experience and success story completed. However, I did not know of a side effect that came with her dreamwalking abilities until this particular morning when she walked into the dining room. If one can call Luna's slow shuffling gait 'walking,' that is. The mere sight of her head barely held above the floor scared me. "Luna, are you alright?" I asked, quickly jumping out of my chair to lend her my assistance. My sister finally mustered up the strength to raise her head, acknowledging my presence. "I'm fine, sister," she mumbled, her eyes practically glazed over with fatigue. "I'm just... I'm very tired." "I see this," I replied, watching dumbfounded as she flopped down into a chair near where I had been seated. "What happened last night?" "Many, many nightmares over the course of the evening," she said, leaning onto the table as her hooves propped her head up. She repeatedly motioned with a bob of her head for me to sit back down. Somewhat satisfied that she was not injured, I slid back into my chair, but scooted nearer to her. "You never told me it was this much work, Lulu," I said quietly. She let out a loud yawn, shaking her head as she struggled with sleepiness. "I do not feel particularly boastful about fatigue resulting from handling nightmares," she replied, her tone lightly chastising and frustrated. But no sooner had she let loose, her ears drooped with remorse. "Apologies, sister, I know you are concerned, I am just-" "I know, I understand. And I don't mean to question your decisions, but perhaps you're dealing with too much at one time. I get that this is new for you, and such new spells or magic can be quite draining, but maybe you need to slow down until you can adjust and familiarize yourself." "How can such a thought even be considered, Tia?" Luna questioned, aghast by the thought. "How can I mindfully ignore somepony having a bad dream? How do I choose who to aid, and who must wait another night?" Her tired eyes were opened wide at this point as she impatiently awaited my answer to her rebuttal. I responded with the only thought that occurred to me. "Sister, ponies have dealt with nightmares for thousands of years on their own. I get it, they shouldn't have to now with your new-found abilities, but you can't run yourself to the edge of exhaustion." She cringed at what I had to say, but remained silent as she stared down at the table. "I'm glad you feel this strong sense of compassion and duty toward this new role, but you need to take it slowly until you can adjust to the strength required for accomplishing this task you've set for yourself." "That is easier said than done," Luna lamented. "You will get there, just keep it in mind. Don't worry yourself if you find yourself unable to reach everypony with nightmares. But please, don't overwork yourself." "Fine, I promise," she said. While my sister agreed to my plea in words, the reluctance in her voice was almost palpable. It did not sit well with me and left my mind far too uneasy to let it go. "Luna, stop," I said. She looked up at me again, her frustration quite obvious. "What?" she asked, with all the attitude of a rebellious adolescent. "I'm not trying to upset you, sister. You know that, right?" "I understand that, but I cannot just sit upon my hooves when there are duties to be done," she retorted. "And I understand your mentality, Luna, but I-" "No, you could not possibly understand, Tia," she interrupted, her voice full of hurt. "Saying so does not make it true." "I - Luna." I didn't know what to say at that point; how had this conversation spiraled out of control so quickly? My protests were in vain as I watched my little sister slide out of the chair and shuffle off in the direction of her bedroom. I took a few steps forward, intent on following her before stopping as she slid out the door. Following her would do no good at this point. As much as I wanted to continue this conversation, my attempts would, at best, end in stonewalled frustration and anger. More likely, it would result in a shouting match. I had not practiced my Canterlot Voice in many, many years; it was a battle I would surely lose. Instead, I was best served waiting, allowing Luna to get some much-needed rest. However, I remained well aware she would be quite stubborn even with a fresh outlook. Getting her to talk to me was going to take some effort. It didn't take me long to come up with an idea as I headed to the throne room. Along the way, my faithful assistant was waiting to greet me, the dark-haired unicorn bowing with a cheerful smile. "Princess Celestia, good morning," she said. "Ah, Raven Inkwell, a belated good morning to you, as well," I replied, putting my troubling thoughts away for a moment to exchange pleasantries. "I trust that you slept well and are ready for yet another full day?" "Indeed. Though if I may be so bold as to inquire about your sister..." "You saw her this morning?" I asked, surprised. Her smile had faded a bit as she joined my side. Over the years, I have become more open to my assistants, allowing them an insight into my personal life from time to time. Raven Inkwell had only been serving me for a few years now, but I trusted her perhaps more than anypony before with my private thoughts and allowed her to speak up with concerns. "Yes, I happened to encounter her as she left the throne room this morning," she noted, lowering her voice as we walked together. "I could not help but notice how fatigued and worn out she appeared. Is everything all right?" "Luna is pushing herself a bit too far, I'm afraid. I haven't gotten her to tell me what's wrong, but something has spurred her to work to the absolute threshold of her abilities," I explained, careful to leave out the details of my sister's newest endeavors into the dream realm. "I must ask, is there anything I can do to help? Perhaps stay just a bit later to aid her during the first few hours of the night?" "No, no, I cannot have you working yourself to exhaustion, either. That will help nopony," I replied. "But I do have a request this morning, as I think I know one way to get my sister to talk." "Of course, what do you need?" "A quill and a scroll. I have a personal letter to write and send out as soon as possible..." "Good evening, Celestia." As I sipped at my cup of freshly brewed tea, Luna made her presence known as she once again took a seat in the dining room. Unlike this morning, she looked vibrant and rested, ready to take on the day. Er, night. In fact, she seemed much more cheery than normal as I eyed her, flashing a smile her direction. "Indeed, good evening," I replied. "I take it you got some shut-eye judging by the energy you're practically radiating." "Yes, I allowed myself to sleep just a bit later than normal. I hope you don't mind, considering it forces us to forgo our normal discussions," she replied. The last bit came out with a touch of unease in her voice. "I understand, I'm just glad you don't look quite as ragged as you did this morning," I teased. I at least got her to chuckle. "Yes, last night was trying, I do hope you aren't continuing to worry." "I will always be concerned with your well-being, Luna. That's just what big sisters do." I took another sip from my cup, as Luna's cheery attitude took a sudden turn. "Isn't it a bit late for you to be having tea, sister?" she asked. "Normally it would be, yes. I'm surprised you remember my sensitivity to caffeine," I replied. The answer only further raised Luna's suspicions. "So, what is not normal?" "Hm?" "What is the occasion that allows you to be drinking tea in the evening, when both you and I know it affects your sleep?" "Oh, I am not presiding over the kingdom tomorrow. Taking the day off, so to speak." My explanation had an instant response from Luna, whose eyes had widened and jaw had dropped. "You are taking the day off," she said flatly, repeating my words as if to hammer home the reality within herself. "Yes, is there an issue with that?" "No, I am just - I had not expected to hear such a thing," she managed to belt out. Her teal eyes continued to study my face, looking for any sign of a ruse. She wouldn't find anything, as I was quite serious. Late this morning, I had directed Raven to make a note that tomorrow would be a break for everypony. Aside from the guards, of course. "Well, what do you plan to do with your free time?" Luna asked after a short pause. I only shrugged as I took another sip, savoring the flavors that danced across my palate. "I have not quite decided. Perhaps nothing, for the first time since - well maybe the first time." Still somewhat confounded by my announcement, Luna nonetheless nodded as she already began to rise from her seat. "Well, I do hope you enjoy yourself, I am glad to hear you are finally taking some personal time," she said. "And what is it you are planning tonight?" I asked. Again, another innocent question threw my little sister a curveball she hadn't expected, almost stumbling as she slipped out of her seat, preparing to leave. "What do you mean by 'planning?' I am off to begin my shift," she replied. "No, you're not." "I beg your pardon?" By the tone of Luna's voice, my comment had been on the verge of offensive to her. "You're not sitting on the throne tonight, because you have the night off," I stated, keeping calm and cool even as my sibling began to crack under one surprise after another. "Since when?! This was never brought to my attention!" she shot back, her voice beginning to rise. "Since this morning, when I told my assistant you would be taking some personal time as well." "What gives you the right to make such a decision?" Luna challenged. I couldn't help myself as I felt a smirk creep onto my face. "I'm the older sister." Luna stomped a hoof down and huffed in annoyance. "That is hardly an appropriate argument at our age, dearest sister," she growled, both her ears and shoulders slumping. "Yet judging by your response and look of utter defeat, I would say it still works." "What is it that you want?" "You don't think you deserve some time off?" "Not really," Luna snapped back. "Why?" I asked, surprised by that response. Only now did Luna take note of what she had blurted out thoughtlessly, shaking her head. "It's not that I don't believe I deserve some free time, it's that -" Luna eyed me cautiously as she hesitated, while I watched her vain attempts to come up with a worthy excuse. "I would rather keep up on honing my abilities," she finally managed. Done with tiptoeing around the problem at hoof, I quickly finished the rest of my tea, standing up to face my sister properly. The sudden quickness I displayed only further added to Luna's cautiousness as her whole body tensed up. "Luna, I want to talk," I said. "Is that not what we are doing now?" "Don't be obtuse, you know what I mean," I said. I strained to keep myself walking a fine line with my own attitude, giving her a serious warning while remaining curious and concerned for her. "I told you, I apologize for my attitude this morning, I was extremely tired," Luna whined. "Yes, I agree, I pushed myself too far, I will do my best to pace myself. Is that not enough? What else do we have to discuss?" My own suspicions began to rise with Luna's rapid backtracking and apology. Just as she had demonstrated weeks ago when I tried to hide my nightmares from her, the two of us could still read each other quite easily. She was hiding something, I was sure of it. It was best to take this somewhere private. Without warning her, I focused on the reserve of magic within me, the energy flowing outward from my horn and swirling around the two of us, as Luna rolled her eyes. "If you wanted to take this 'conversation' somewhere else, you could have just said so," she said as the dining room disappeared. In its place, my private archives faded into existence, the few candles I had scattered around the room magically igniting upon sensing my presence. A flash from my horn sent the fireplace alight, lending a cozy feel to the otherwise dark, dusty room. "Now then," I said, ignoring my sister's snippy comment, "since we are alone in private, I want you to relax. Completely." I saw the slightest hint of fear in Luna's eyes as my request reached her ears. She knew what I meant - I wanted her to dissipate the spell she used to mask her true self. "Why? Nothing has changed, you know how far my progress has come," she protested. Her plea fell on deaf ears as I raised an eyebrow. "Humor me, dear sister." Luna hung her head low, admitting defeat as she tried to avert my watchful gaze. Her form warped at an excruciatingly slow pace, the light blue fur she sported darkening as her mane shifted from plain hair to a hazy magical energy. She grew just a bit, but barely noticeable amongst the other changes. It was as I had expected - something had been bothering my sister enough to reverse much of the progress she had made. As Luna looked up to meet my eyes, her dragon-like, predatory eyes had returned as well. "So, there's nothing wrong at all? Everything is completely normal?" I asked, unable to mask the biting tone. "It's just a phase," she mumbled, hanging her head. "I was not aware a waxing gibbons had an effect on your physical form. Tell me, will this go away as your moon wanes? Are we going to go through this during every cycle of the moon?" Luna said nothing, only dropping her head again in shame at the sarcasm I spat out. The sight of her looking so utterly discouraged snapped me from my bout of anger that had momentarily overwhelmed me. Voicing my displeasure was going to do neither of us any good. I could be certain she did not mean for this step backward in progress, yet here I was, scolding her rather than delve further into the issue. I forced myself to take a deep breath, exhaling the current frustration I was feeling and beginning anew. "Lulu, look at me," I said, my tone much softer than moments before. Whether it be due to my more pleasant voice or the name I had used, Luna obliged my request, though her head remained low and submissive. Her nostrils flared as I could see her straining to keep her composure after the tongue lashing I had given her. "Come here, I didn't mean to snap at you." "No, it's fine," she mumbled, staying right where she was. Instead, I made the move, closing the distance between us and lowering my head to hers. "No, it's not fine. You aren't fine," I whispered to her, giving a comforting nuzzle. "Here I am, thinking I'm trying to help when I'm letting my own emotions get the best of me. But you need to talk to me sister, I'm here to lend an ear if something's bothering you, and you should know that." "I do, I just... I am just dealing with some minor niggling issues," she replied. Even as I calmed down and offered my sympathy, Luna was relentless in keeping to herself. Ever stubborn, I realized the only way to get her to open up was to use my secret weapon. I stood up straight and backed off, drawing my sister's attention as one of my wings unfurled. I pulled out a scroll I had tucked away, holding it with great care as it levitated up into my vision. "What is that?" I heard Luna inquire. The scroll dropped ever so slightly, allowing me to see her queer expression. "This is just an intriguing spell I came across earlier today while sorting through my collection down here. Unless I am misreading the archaic writings, it is a spell called 'mind meld,' a spell to gain insight into somepony else's thoughts." "You jest," Luna replied, her energy suddenly returning in full as she stood up straight. "No such spell exists. Even the greatest of minds in magic said it was an impossibility long ago." "That's not what this says," I replied, turning the parchment for her to get a quick view. Luna's eyes danced across it with ferocity, before I once again returned it's content back toward myself. "I think you understand why I found this." "That is an invasion of privacy," she protested, becoming rather angry. "To threaten such a thing, whether possible or not is-" "It's not right, I know," I said quietly. "But understand my point of view, Luna. I'm not trying to invade your privacy, to be antagonistic. But I want to help you. I can't help you if you won't talk to me, and that scares me. Look at how far you have come in the months since you have returned, and how far back you have fallen in a matter of days. I've learned from the past, to ask what's wrong rather than assume you will work through your own issues and come to me for guidance if need be. But have you learned?" "I have, but-" "Show me, Luna. Show me you have changed," I pleaded. "Right now, your silence speaks volumes, and what it tells me - I don't like what it tells me." The runes on the scroll began to glow as I focused on their power, shining brightly enough to penetrate through the other side, where Luna's eyes focused. "Luna, if you won't help yourself, then I will use this spell. Because I'm not letting you make the same mistake twice. I can't do what I had to do back then once again. My heart cannot handle your loss." "I'm trying to make up for lost time, I'm trying to make it all up to you!" Luna finally blurted out. I halted my magic, the golden runes slowly fading back into the normal black ink. "I'm listening, sister. What do you mean, 'making up for lost time?'" Luna took a deep breath, knowing she would no longer be able to run away from this conversation. "You've had to serve Equestria, all on your own, because of my selfishness. You have spent day in and day out living not for yourself, but for the betterment of your ponies." "Our ponies, sister. Not mine," I corrected. "But you don't have to make up for lost time. For Equestria's sake, Lulu, you were banished to the moon, you've atoned for what you have done. Well beyond anything I could have imagined, you spent millennia in exile." "Yet what happened when I was released, sister? What did that time of atonement accomplish?!" Luna shouted back, her voice cracking. "I came back with the same amount of anger and jealousy in my heart that existed before I had been banished! This... this blackness, this vile thing inside me, it only grew!" "But don't you see Luna, that's exactly what I'm trying to explain to you," I retorted, albeit with a calm, soothing voice. Luna said nothing, only staring back at me as she waited for me to say something. I could not tell whether it was to give me a chance to clarify, or because she had made her argument and only waiting for the next item to refute. "Luna, that time you spent - the time you spent banished to the moon. What was it like?" I asked. The question brought a recoil of surprise from my sister, whose eyes widened. But it didn't take long for her shame to return, looking away from me as she cleared her throat. "I'm not trying to hurt you, I-" "I know. I listened to what you went through after I was gone. I have remained silent about my experience," she murmured. "You can't keep it bottled up forever." With great effort, Luna managed to turn her head back to face me. Her eyes were practically swimming with tears as she cleared her throat again, slowly lowering herself to the rug in the center of the room, scooting closer to the fireplace as her focus turned to the warmth it provided. I joined her, remaining silent as I waited for her to speak. It was obvious that despite not bringing it up, this was something that had been eating at her for quite some time. Far longer than she let on; I can only assume her guilt left her reluctant to explain her struggles, for fear of gaining sympathy she felt was undeserved. So, we lay there on the floor, about a half wingspan between us; judging by her body language, she did not want me to console her, either. The fireplace was the only sound for quite some time, the logs cracking and popping as they lent their warmth and light to us. "I was not banished to the moon," Luna said, transfixed upon the licking flames in front of her. "I was imprisoned within it." "Within it?" "I do not know what exactly the Elements of Harmony did, but I could not feel - I did not feel my body. I could not move, I could not look around freely... in essence, the moon itself became my vessel. The only thing I could see was our planet, and the vast emptiness surrounding it." Luna took another deep breath as she raised a hoof to her face, brushing aside the tears that had gathered upon her cheek. "It was cold, it was silent - it was desolate. All I could do was stare down at Equestria from afar, alone with my thoughts. My sorrow, my regrets, the misery within me." "You felt regret for what you did right away?" I asked, surprised. Luna finally turned her attention to me again, her face lined with a deep-seated pain. "In some senses, yes," she replied. "Initially." She turned her focus back to the fire, though her expression remained sorrowful. "That endless silence gave me time to think; the mind has an odd way of rationalizing its convictions given time. With every evening, I could feel your magic guiding my moon over the horizon. The celestial body I was to be entrusted with, that now became my prison. It reignited my anger, stoked the fire. A sense of betrayal blossomed into a pit of hatred. It just kept growing, consuming me. I didn't just despise you, I despised everypony." My sister looked as if she was about to throw up, so disgusted her face became. It hurt me to hear such vile ideas and opinions that Luna once held, and I understood why she was so reluctant to share. I waited a moment, ensuring she had nothing else to add. With silence beginning to befall the room again, I took the opportunity to speak. "Luna, as you were explaining your experience to me, did you listen to yourself?" "What do you mean?" "The words, the emotions you shared, the pain that you go through just telling me all of this, you have essentially assured me I can trust you, and you've more than made up for the mistakes you made." Luna remained skeptical, her brow furrowed, but kept her silence. I could no longer bear the space between us as I unfurled a wing, wrapping it around my sister's form and dragging her across the floor until she lay next to me. "The regrets, the remorse you feel over what happened, just your body language - you've learned from your past. I don't want to punish you, I don't want you to 'make up for lost time.' There is only one thing that I want," I said. "What is it?" she asked, her interest piqued by a possible chance to redeem herself. "What we're doing right now. Talking, learning from each other. I want my little sis to be happy. I'm not asking you to ignore the past, but don't let it define you for eternity. You need to talk to me, let me know when something is bothering you. Like you mentioned, keeping your thoughts and emotions bottled up - the mind rationalizes everything, whether it makes actual sense or not." "But you're already sticking your neck out for me, helping me adjust, offering me new opportunities," she lamented, her voice lowering in time with her brooding." Why should I add to that burden?" "Luna, do you trust me?" "Of course, why would I not?" she said, her eyes locked squarely with mine. "Then trust that I can handle whatever baggage you may still have. Trust that your issues are not yours alone to rectify. At the very least, trust my judgment. Let me be your guide when you feel lost." Try as she might, Luna could not keep her composure any longer as her breath was caught in her throat, tears streaming down her face. "You're doing too much for me," she whispered. "It is my duty to watch over you, Luna. That's what big sisters do, and it was a duty I let lax once. I refuse to do such a thing again." She bowed her head toward me as I did the same, our noses and horns touching, laying in complete silence. What more needed to be said? Everything I told her was the truth; I know self-doubt will follow her for a time, I knew she would question her judgment in the weeks that followed her return. The stubborn mare she is, she was afraid to ask. She was afraid of herself, she was afraid she was not doing enough. Considering the situation in a broad sense, it was to be expected. But with the ordeal we had gone through, and the effect her low self-esteem had on her physical form, it was important she knew that I was there for her, for anything, at any time. As I leaned back to a more normal position, Luna had changed again, this time for the better. Her normal, vibrant and serene eyes had returned, and her coat had lightened to the royal blue we had first seen in the dream realm. In fact, she had become that form, in little more than a minute's time. Evidently, I had been staring, for Luna took note and looked down at herself. "I - I hadn't expected to progress back so quickly," she gasped. "That makes two of us. But I'm thankful you did," I gushed. "I can only assume you feel better?" She nodded, allowing herself a small grin even as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "I do, I feel a weight lifted from my chest," she said. "I wasn't happy with you, but thank you for giving me the push I needed to talk. And not using that spell." "Well, I'm glad I got you to talk, because there was no mind-meld spell," I admitted. "This is my student's most recent friendship report; she's been studying some of our languages of the past, I asked her earlier today to show me how far she's come by writing her next correspondence in whatever writing she has been studying." "You tricked me?!" Luna exclaimed, recoiling back from my draped wing. Mentally, I face hoofed at my lapse in judgment. Why did I think admitting my bluff to Luna was a good idea? "Well, when you word it that way, it does sound bad, yes..." I trailed off, trying to think of a way out of this corner. But Luna stood up, staring down at me with cold eyes, slightly scowling. My heart rate climbed rapidly as I feared everything we had just worked out was about to be thrown aside into the fireplace. "I'm sorry Luna, I was just worried because you didn't seem yourself as of late. You didn't want to talk to me, I had to do something." Slowly, her scowl shifted, warping into the slightest hint of a smirk, despite her best efforts. She was playing me. "I will give you a head start, ten seconds before I throttle you for this ruse," she said. Her smirk was contagious, as I bit my lip, trying not to smile myself. "Well, that's generous of you," I teased. "One... two... three..." I scrambled up to my hooves and started up the stairs, laughing like a fool as she continued. I managed to get halfway up the case as she reached 'five.' "Sixseveneightnineten! Get back here, Tia!" I heard her shout, hooves rapidly pounding across the floorboards. "That's cheating, you said ten seconds!" I shouted back. "Then we're even in terms of ruses tonight!" Finally to the top of the stairs, I flung open the door with my magic, entering my private chambers for a split second before throwing open another door, this time leading to the hall. I couldn't stop myself from giggling as I reached full gallop, streaking down the halls of the castle. "I was always a faster runner than you, good luck!" I taunted playfully. "I suppose it is a blessing I am a more accomplished flyer," Luna's voice retorted. I turned my head to find her right on my heels, a devilish smile upon her face. But in the momentary distraction, my hoof caught the edge of a rug. In the blink of an eye, I went from full gallop to full tumble. A cacophony of thumps and groans followed as Luna was too close to avoid me, colliding with my clumsy form and tumbling as well. At some point, both of us slid to a stop with Luna atop me. "That... that was quite foolish of us," Luna mumbled. "Running in the halls might not have been smart, no," I groaned. Hoofsteps descended upon us at once, a pair of guards rushing toward us as Luna and I pulled ourselves off the floor. "Your Highnesses, are you... alright?" The odd pause in the guard's question caused me to snap my attention away from Luna and over to the stallions. Both of them had looks of shock upon their faces, eyes transfixed upon my sister. Luna was quick to take note of the attention laid upon her, and even as I tried to think of some excuse for her appearance, she remained calm and collected. "We are both fine, thank you for your concern," she said as I rose from the floor and nodded. "I can only assume you are taken aback by my appearance." "Er, yes. My apologies, your Highness, I just was not expecting... well, I was not expecting to find you looking so different." "No apologies needed. This is, in fact, my normal appearance; my magic reserves and prowess have finally returned after much delay. I suppose you will not be the last to be caught by surprise; I am sure I will be explaining to many more ponies in the near future." I had a feeling Luna had been prepping for when this day would come and already had an explanation in mind. Either that, or she is even better at thinking on her hooves than I could ever imagine. She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, giving the slightest knowing smile. "You sure you are both fine? We both heard an awful commotion," the other guard finally spoke up. "Yes, I just tripped over the rug, clumsy me," I answered, returning the secretive grin my sister had just displayed. I took a few steps forward until I was beside her, my left wing grabbing a hold of her as she leaned against me. "In fact, I believe we are better than we have been in a long, long time." It was the truth, but neither of us could keep ourselves straight. Luna began to giggle incessantly, the contagious feeling washing over me as I joined in. The guards exchanged glances of confusion for a split second, before saluting and heading back to their posts. "I have to ask, was that spur of the moment, or did you have a cover story planned for your new look?" I asked, finally getting ahold of myself. "A bit of both. I think it is quite believable, no?" "I think so. I think the guards were more unsure of our behavior than they were your explanation." "Indeed. But Celestia, were you serious when you told me I have the night off, and you have tomorrow's day shift off?" Luna asked. "No ruse, Luna, I told the truth. I also was not lying when I admitted to having my tea, so I'll probably be up all night. To be honest, I expected you to be more stubborn in talking to me." "If you would like, I could be more difficult next time," she teased. "I think you have proven to both of us that being open with each other is the way forward. No more keeping to ourselves, it does nopony good." "I suppose you are right. I will do what I can; forgive me if there are growing pains." I leaned over and nuzzled my little sis. "And forgive me if I have to lie to get you to talk. But with a whole night free to ourselves, what do you want to do?" Luna locked eyes with me, and drew the widest smile I had ever seen from her. "Whatever we find to occupy ourselves with, my only stipulation is we do it together."