//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: A life in a day // by Mindscape //------------------------------// “I… like the new palace” Luna said, still slightly nervous as the Celestia showed her newly returned sister through the halls of the palace in Canterlot. The return of Princess Luna had gone better than Princess Celestia could have imagined. She had been welcomed wholeheartedly by the ponies of Equestria. It seemed that all that was necessary for the ponies of Equestria needed to forget about Nightmare Moon, was to see the two princesses side by side, and one of Celestia’s warm smiles that she had perfected over a thousand years of rule. “I do not recall any stained-glass windows such as these back in the old palace” Luna continued. “Is this when we stopped Discord?” she asked, stopping to gaze at the full-length window. “This hall has a number of our old exploits memorialized, as well as certain events or icons in Equestrian history” Celestia confirmed. “I… see.” There was a new discomfort in Luna’s voice that made Celestia turn. Luna had stopped again, but this time in front of a different window. The tall glass depicted an image that was undoubtedly Celestia, solemnly standing before a throne on the clouds, with both the sun and moon resting in the sky beside her outstretched wings. The appearance of the Mare in the Moon was clearly visible in the imagery of the moon. “Although” Celestia started, leaning down conspiratorially to her younger sister. “Some have been here a very long time. I do believe one or two should be replaced.” “Oh please, do not make changes for my sake” Luna protested. She looked up at the window once more. “Perhaps there should be something to remind how easily one can make terrible mistakes.” “Don’t think like that Sister. You already carry too much regret over what happened. You don’t need a constant reminder every time you walk through the main hall. Besides, I have already thought of replacing it before now.” “If you are certain. Thank you” Luna said, but only half-heartedly. Celestia frowned to herself. In a way, it made sense how hard Luna was being on herself. The pain and regret was still fresh and it would be time before she was able to forgive herself as easily as Celestia already had. “What did you think of the festivities today?” Celestia said, trying to move the subject in a more pleasant direction as they moved on once more, passing out of the main hall. “I was… surprised at how eagerly I was welcomed” Luna replied. “I had torn the sun away from them once more only hours before, and yet they seemed to forget all my crimes with the rising of the sun.” “I’ve found the ponies of Ponville are some of the most welcoming and friendly in all of Equestria. I thought it would be the best place for such a momentous time. All things said, it was truly the best Summer Sun Celebration we have ever had. But there’s only one reason for me that made it so wonderful” she added, looking to Luna with a warm smile. That finally got a sheepish smile on Luna’s face once more. “But in truth,” Celestia continued. “I am more excited to see its sister celebration in six months.” Luna frowned curiously. “Another one? But surely there can only be one longest day in a year.” Celestia grinned knowingly. She had been looking forward to revealing this surprise to her sister. “I speak of the Winter Moon Celebration. The longest night of the year.” Her sister gasped, and a smile slowly grew on her features. “You mean…?” Celestia nodded. “It has been one of the largest celebrations of the year for centuries now. And now on the one thousandth celebration it finally has its princess back to celebrate in full. I hope it’s not too much to expect so soon after your return.” Luna shook her head enthusiastically. “Nonsense. I could be ready tomorrow for such a thing. We had ideas for such a celebration even before… before…” Luna’s excitement suddenly dulled as her thoughts weighed upon her once more. Celestia had seen her sister react in such a way many times over the day when reminded of her actions one thousand years ago. All day it had taken ages for her to break out of her shell and smile, only for her to catch herself having fun and feel guilty, withdrawing into herself once more in shame. Celestia reached a wing and pulled her sister into a comforting embrace. “You need not apologize for what happened Luna. I have forgiven you, and will always forgive you whenever you feel the sorrow over past actions.” “It… it is not that, this time” Luna said, leaning into the hug and resting her head against her sister’s for a moment. “Though my crimes as Nightmare Moon shall not be forgotten easily, it is another thought that plagues my mind at present.” She looked up at her sister earnestly. “I realize it has been so terribly long, but… what happened to Lucky Hope?” There it was. Of all the questions Celestia had been dreading, what to tell Luna about Lucky Hope had been weighing on her mind for an age. He had survived only a couple more weeks after the night he first told her the truth, and in that time, he shared both the life he had lived in Equestria that she had missed out on, as well as telling her of his first lifetime and world. He had still been very cautious of telling her anything that she might inadvertently use for the future, but there always seemed to be more to talk about. Despite his insistence he had isolated himself, it sounded as though he made many more friends than he realized, always able to tell a story or event of somepony he had gotten to know. “I did not hurt him, did I?” Luna asked, sounding quite worried all of a sudden. Celestia blinked, and noticed a wet trail on her cheek. Realizing she had been silent for more than a moment, she smiled and wiped away the tear. “No” she reassured. “I’m sorry, your question just brought up old memories. Lucky lived… a full life.” Celestia said with confidence. Despite however long it had taken her to wrestle with the conundrum, she had centuries to come to a conclusion. “He and I may not have seen eye to eye after I sent you away that night, but he never stopped loving either of us. Lucky found his calling without my help, and lived happily in a life he made his own. However, you shouldn’t just take my word for it. I believe it would be best if you see it for yourself in his own words” Celestia said. “But… It has been so long. Such a thing would be impossible, would it not?” Luna asked as Celestia opened the door to her chambers. “Not so impossible as you may think, Sister” she said, gesturing for Luna to follow. Inside, Celestia opened the small chest on her dressing table and produced an unsealed envelope. She picked it up ever so delicately in her magic and extracted a positively ancient folded piece of paper. “Do be careful” she told Luna as she presented it to her. “I have tried to preserve it as best I can with magic, but paper has never been the best at lasting for centuries.” “This is…” Luna gaped, realizing what she meant. “The last letter he ever sent me.” Princess Celestia sat down on the cushions next to Luna and remained silent, letting her sister read in her own time. She watched as the expression on Luna’s face went through a multitude of emotions reading the words that Lucky had left for them. Celestia had not forgotten Lucky’s admittance that the letter had only been to allay her worry and to give a happy ending to his story, but she had come to understand the reasoning behind the action. Sometimes a pleasant lie was far more important than a harsh truth. And there was already too much pain in her sister’s heart to confuse her with the revelations he had shared with Celestia all those years ago. Perhaps one day Luna might hear the full truth, but for now there was no reason. There were tears by the time Luna finished reading, but also a genuine smile. She wiped her eyes and said “I am sure there must be more that I am missing. I do not understand this other name he uses, and… what did he say to you that he was so concerned of?” She asked. “Things were… tense between us for some time” Celestia admitted. “The reason of which I am sure you could guess. It was no secret he was always closer with you than myself. After you were no longer there, he did not feel that the palace was home anymore. He wished to find his own way in the world, and so he left in his own time. That also meant making a new name for himself, separate from whatever his connection to the royalty of Equestria would have followed his old name. I may not have had a direct touch in his life, but I always watched over him. But, in the beginning I… did not fully understand his need to stand on his own hooves. I wanted him to come home, failing to realize it was no longer a place he could call home. He rebuffed me, and because of my stubbornness, I had forced him to say things he would regret. We made up in the end, but it still took a long time.” “How long did it take?” “Long enough that he felt he needed to tell his life story on his deathbed. But I still watched, from a distance. So I knew that he was safe and happy.” “And this mare he met? Cheery Sparks. Did she truly make him happy?” Celestia had always known there was a reason that when they first found the Elements of Harmony, the Element of Honesty had gone to her sister, not herself. She smiled as she lied to her sister “Yes. The two of them together was one of the most beautiful and heart-warming things I’ve seen in all these years.” Luna cried happily. Celestia passed her a tissue as she sniffed. “I wish I could have seen their wedding” Luna said after she recovered. “It pains me to say that I didn’t even realize, knowing that he did everything to try and share it with me anyway. My time banished to the moon is mostly a haze. I can barely recall it, other than the time it took to return. I’m sure it must have been beautiful.” “It was. You would have loved it. Lit by lanternlight, in the spring night air surrounded by the natural beauty within a clearing just outside of town.” “It is a shame there was never any children” Luna said, accepting another tissue to dab her eyes. “It seems strange to think he left no legacy behind.” “That’s simply not true. The lessons he taught as a teacher went on to inspire many a young mind among the generation, and continue to inspire now. Like a ripple in time, the effect he had on Equestria while he lived in this world shall always be there. And do not forget that he will always be remembered for as long as we hold him in our hearts.” “I suppose that is something” Luna sighed. “It may be selfish of me, but I just wish there had been more.” “Well” Celestia said grinning knowingly. “I suppose there is one legacy that is a bit more tangible.” Her sister gave Celestia a curious look as she got up and opened the door to outside. She stepped out to the veranda and bade Luna to follow. Outside the moon had risen once more into the sky, now absent the presence of the Mare in the Moon that had once been so familiar. Celestia had often come to in the garden outside her room to gaze upon her sister’s prison and talk with her, but tonight there was no need, and she had come here for a different reason. “It is somewhat surprising your chambers are on the ground floor these days” Luna observed, following Celestia onto the cool grass. “I had been under the impression you rather enjoyed the altitude to watch the horizon.” “My enjoyment of such things has not changed, but I can go to one of the higher balconies at any time. No, there is a reason I felt it was better to keep my hooves near the ground.” She lifted a hoof to her mouth and whistled a quick chirp. Barely a moment later a small form came bounding towards the two of them and lunged at Celestia. “Sister!” Luna cried, but Celestia had caught the creature with a hoof and was giggling as it licked her face affectionately. “There you are, you little rascal” Celestia said to the furry ball of energy. “I’m sorry I didn’t have much time for you today, things were impossibly busy.” “You… you have a dog?” Luna voiced, sounding somewhat surprised. “We have a dog” Celestia corrected. “A pet is as much family as anypony else. Speaking of which, I must introduce you to Philomena sometime.” “Another dog?” “No, Philomena is a phoenix.” “I… see.” “Would you like to say hello to Little?” she said, indicating the panting furry friend she was still holding in her foreleg. “He can be a little shy when meeting new ponies, but he makes very fast friends.” “His name is Little?” “Little Hope” Celestia confirmed. Luna’s breath caught in her throat. “While I was there with Lucky in the end, he had a dog himself, the sole companion he had not yet outlived. After his passing, I took her in to give her a home. And eventually she had her puppies, and they had theirs. And I have continued to look after one every generation. This little one is the latest in a long line, going back to the one Lucky took care of all those years past.” “Then… Lucky’s legacy…” “As you can imagine, I could not take care of them all, so they found good homes around Equestria, and the border collie is one of the most popular breeds of dogs nowadays. I do believe the Apple family in Ponyville, who you would have met one of earlier, own one of this little one’s relatives.” Celestia gently put Little to the ground and gestured to Luna for the young pup. “Go on, say hello to your Auntie Luna." Almost hesitantly, Luna knelt down to her belly and softly spoke to Little. “Hello little one” She raised a hoof slowly for him to sniff. “My name is Luna.” The puppy cautiously approached, sniffing the new arrival. He turned back to Celestia, as if looking for approval. Celestia’s reassuring smile was all he needed and he lapped at her presented hoof, and then quickly transitioned to Luna’s face. Luna laughed in surprise and darted up. Little Hope looked disappointed she had moved away, but quickly became distracted watching her flowing mane. He reached up and tried to paw at the moving hair, as if to try catching it. “It… it is made of magic” Luna managed to croak out between happy sobs. Celestia could barely hold back the happy tears that threatened to interrupt the moment. She had still been worried for her sister. Worried that she would have the hardest task in the world to readjust to life and this new time she had returned to. But watching her now, the pure joy that her sister bore plainly on her face. Luna had hope, once more.