Rise and shine Luna, time to wake up. Even being told to wake up, luna still feels like stay in the world of dream. With magic, she pulls up her blanket. Getting comfortable she tries to get back to sleep. Being a princess of the night she always having a lucid dream. That means getting up should not be difficult for her because she had been conscious the whole time. But still, as much as she being conscious, her body still seeking warmth under the blanket.
Come on Luna, if you don’t set the moon in 30 minutes, Celestia will revoke our agreement with her. Nightmare Moon said with a motherly patient. Yesterday Luna ask Celestia if she can stop waking her from her sleep. It’s not like she doesn’t like it when her sister wakes her up. She likes it when her sister wakes her up. But she doesn’t want it to become a habit. Reminded by Nightmare Moon, Luna reluctantly wakes up.
“Morning Nightmare Moon”, Luna said with a sore throat.
Good evening, dear. How do you feel? Nightmare moon said with her corner lips curling up.
“Cold, stiff feeling all over my body, the usual.”
Great!
“Great... yay....” Luna rolling her eye at Nightmare Moon's sarcastic remark.
Luna pours herself a glass of water from a nearby table, working on her sore Throat. She, not an evening pony, she was a morning pony. When Discord spread chaos and Sombra spread fear across the land, Luna was the figurehead of the ponies. As a general, she had to wake up earlier than anypony else. It was a fun time actually, that is if I omit the part where ponies die because of them. Luna thought to herself.
But after the era of chaos and fear, Celestia decides that it is the time to unite all ponies and thus the kingdom of Equestria is born. As much as Celestia being an effective leader, she still needs her sister to govern ponies. The kingdom of Equestria has a structure of diarchy. But one thing that luna doesn’t understand is the need for herself to wake at night and sleep in the day. She tries to ask Nightmare Moon about that, but only earning her ‘maybe Celestia see the need of 24 hr of court?’. Luna is deadpanned at that because she knows that her ability to go in anypony dream is what requires her to wakes at night.
“Nightmare Moon, if you such evening pony why don’t you take charge of the body when it's time to wake up?” Luna said while stretching her stiff off of her body.
No, no, no. We already establish this long time ago that we take turns in taking charge of the body. It’s your problem, not mine. Nightmare Moon said while clicking her tongue and shaking her head. Besides, I already get my part in feeling agony waking physically impossible morning. Mirth could be heard in her voice.
“Fine! point taken.” Luna walking towards the balcony to prepare to set the moon.
While waiting for the time to lower the moon, she reminiscing the past, when she met Nightmare moon for the first time. For all the time she could remember, Nightmare Moon has been with her. It could be before she turns 5 Nightmare Moon already with her, though she couldn’t remember anything before the age of 5.
At the time she was really scared. Voice coming from her mind, not knowing where it come from. But she could make a brave front and make sense of everything without her sister because she heard fear from the voice far deeper than what she felt. Nightmare Moon was very scared. Not having her own body. Having memory basically from another person. Can not control her action.
“Hey, Nightmare Moon?”
Yeah?
“Do you regret living?”
Luna, what is this about? Nightmare Moon asks. She knows that this is an important question, that is why she needs more information so she can answer correctly.
“Just answer me, okay? I will tell you anything else later.” Nightmare Moon having a headache. As much as Luna tells Nightmare Moon how resourceful she is, there is still something she can’t just action blindly.
No, Luna, I don’t have any regret living.
“Then are you happy?”
Am I happy? Nightmare Moon thought. Because her condition is unique, all she could think of is what would happen if my host body is not Luna? She doesn’t know if being grateful equal being happy. I don’t know. I guess I am? Nightmare Moon finally answers.
Silent falls between them, which makes Nightmare Moon anxious. “What?....WHAT!? what did you just say?”
Did I say something wrong? If Nightmare Moon has a body, ponies can see how pale she is right now.
“Absolutely everything. How could you not feel sad? You are my slave, and I am your master. How could you even sure that I don't command you to do anything that you not even aware of?”
Ohh, so this is what it is about. Nightmare Moon giving knowledging look. She giggling earning a huff from Luna. Luna, dear, you should give yourself more credit than you did right now. I think, therefore I am, you should have heard this phrase before, because I remember I did. You acknowledge my existence is enough to make me happy. Not just that, you even let me be in charge of our bodies. You also let me eat food that I like, even you don’t at all. All command you ever give me is when I was 5, I think, so I can calm myself. I admit absolute command is scary, but I believe you would not deliberately command me to do something, and then command me to forgot about that. I am happy Luna.
At that time Luna feels secure like she never did before. Knowing she did the right thing, and the pony in question did not show any lie in her voice. “I see, thank you, Nightmare Moon. I have been questioning myself all the time.”
I think you should ask this question sooner. It looks like helping you so much.
“That's the point of being insecure, I am even scared to know the answer.” Luna answer with a huff, earning her a giggling. Nightmare Moon doesn’t know that Luna secretly grateful that she can have thought on her own. If she can’t think on her own, and all her thought is known by Nightmare Moon, Luna would not hesitate to consume Nightmare Moon’s soul. But that also means she can’t know what Nightmare moon thinking, that what makes this problem arise in the first place. all's well that ends well, I guess. Luna thought to herself.
The clock showing it is 6 PM now, it’s time to rise the moon. Luna knows this, even without looking at the clock, it is time to rise the moon. She points her horn toward the moon, tries to make a connection with the celestial body. The moon acknowledges her, and oblige her request. Relatively slow, the moon moves toward the sky. She never needed to command the moon, for the moon is part of them. The moon is part of Luna and Nightmare Moon.
==========================================================================================
What would it be? I hope it would be waffles. Luna existing her chamber, walking through the corridor. The dining room for royalty is not far from the royal sister chamber.
“In your dream.”
Waffles from dreams still not quite the same as eating the real thing. All that it does is reliving memories, not a new experience.
Turning the corner, Luna passes some maid and giving them a nod of acknowledgment. “point taken. A chocolate pancake from a dream doesn’t taste the same chocolate pancake from real life.”
I want waffles. May The Maker grant this one wish.
Turning another corner, Luna sees a solar guard seems sleeping while on duty. A pegasi mare with a white coat and blue mane. Her mane cut trim adhering guard standard. Her body looks lean behind her armor. With a mischievous smile, luna has an idea to prank the guard. She stops in front of her and stomps her hoof. “Guard light feather on duty, sir! ... Pri-princess Luna! I beg your pardon on sleeping while on duty!”
“It is a quite alright guard light feather, go report the end of your shift and meet your beloved family at home.”
“Yes, Ma’am! Please excuse me” seeing her guard of Luna could only smile.
So as I was saying, why don’t we just ask the cook rather than let him decide?
“The point of it is so ponies don’t suspicious of me having other personalities.”
Yes, I could see that, if we ask the cook to make waffles for a day and pancake for another would make him suspicious. But at worst he would suspect you for liking both waffles and pancake!
This time it’s quite uneventful, no guards or maid she pass this time. “you always like that, not liking plan, doing whatever the situation at the moment ask you to do. But I tell you what, we do it your way, and when a situation arises you deal with it. Deal?”
Deal!
“Let’s ask the cook to make a pancake!”
Wait, what? No! Please Luna, waffles! I want waffles... Luna pretends not to hear it, instead, she enjoys the night sky along the way to the kitchen.
Luckily the kitchen is not far from the dining room. “two more turns and we will arrive.”
Five turns and two stairs just to reach the kitchen.
“It is not that bad, only ten minutes of a walk”
even when a teleportation spell is an option?
“even when a teleportation spell is an option”
why?
“I want to say ‘it for putting appearance as a princess’. But I get your point”
exactly, we rarely pass any pony on our way to the kitchen. Luna walking leisurely along the corridor. Turning the last corner, Luna can see the door into the kitchen.
“There is still one thing I want to say to the architect”
what is it?
“Do not mix drugs with architecture!”
I will agree with that.
Luna stepping into the last corridor she needs to get through. “We never step into the kitchen, didn’t we?”
You mean we never step in the kitchen when at a busy hour. We did in the past when we need to discuss our diet with the royal chef.
“Yea, that. How many ponies do you think currently preparing for dinner?”
...Including our domestic servants, guards, cleaners, gardeners, chauffers we are counting about four hundred ponies.
“...Given or take, yes, that sounds about right.”
I think ten ponies are needed to prepare dinner for all of them.
“I would say fifteen ponies.”
One more reason why Nightmare Moon needs her bodies, we can’t make a bet with each other.
“I will agree with that.”
Opening the door into the kitchen, Luna could see ponies bustling around in the kitchen. There are twenty of them, some of them handling frying, another dicing, another washing ingredient. Luna could only smile spectating the scene. Seeing smiles on ponies face, enjoying their work. Twenty ponies sound a little excessive, even for providing food for all workers in the castle. I never thought I would see this many ponies in the kitchen.
“Me too, even for providing food for all the workers in the castle, they wouldn’t need this much ponies.”
Maybe so they could have a spare pony whenever we or sister Celesia want anything?
“It could be”
Noticing Luna standing in the doorway, all of them stop their activity out of courtesy acknowledging their princess. “Please be at ease ponies, don’t let our present stop you from your work.” With a nod ponies continue their work. The atmosphere seems to become tense.
“Your majesty, is there anything I could help you with?”. An earth pony stallion approached Luna. He has a dark brown coat and light green mane.
“Sweet Ace, the stallion we looking for. Tell us, is now a bad time? Ponies seem rather busy.” Luna takes a look around the kitchen.
“Not at all. This happens often whenever solar guard or lunar guard ends their shift.”
“We see. Have you done with our dinner for today?”
“yes, princess, waffles with ice cream topping. Your favorite.”
Luna, you must take it, this is an order. Pretty please?
“Hmm? Ordering your master I see. Are you forget your fate in my hoof? Do you want your waffles or not?”
Yes! I’m sorry, please.
“Sweet Ace, if it not a hassle, would you be so kind to make a pancake?”
“Of course your majesty, consider it done. What would happen with the waffles?”
“Worry not, your work would not be a waste. We would take it that too.”
“Certainly your majesty”
Yay! Waffles for nightmare moon tonight! While rolling her eye, Luna brings her dining trolley with her to the dining room.
Opening the door into the dining room, Luna takes her time to look around. A small table and four cushions around it. There are several dining rooms around the castle. While another dining room is to entertain guests, this dining room is made especially for royal sister. Comfortably over luxury is the motto. “good evening Luna.”
“Good evening sister”. Luna places her dining trolley close to the table, and then find her nice cushion to sit on.
“So how is it? Waking up by yourself?” Celestia takes her time to choose from four different kinds of cake before her. Then slice it nicely to eat it up.
“It is quite an alright sister. As you know, we are always conscious when we sleep.”
“Want me to wake you up for some time?”
“We would like to take your offer, sister. But please remember that the point is so we can have a good habit.” Luna put Nightmare Moon’s waffles on the table.
“Have any plan for tonight?”
“Not much. Work on paperwork and then work on getting used to dream walking.”
”Is it hard?” finishing her cake, she moves to another cake. There are only three of them but prove to be too hard for Celestia to choose.
“Dream walking? No. Banishing nightmare? Yes.”
“How so?”
“Ponies are complicated, sister.”
“You should order a new pair of glasses, Luna. Yours look fine, but it's old it needs to get change” Luna takes off her glasses. While close her eye, she nonchalantly cleans the lens. Put it back, she opens her eyes again.
You are way too careful, Luna. Closing your eye while clean your glasses?
“These glasses originally so we can hide your dragon-like irises. Stop complaining.”
“No, sister, we have quite a memory in these glasses.”
“That is true, you have had it ever since you were 5.”
“How was your day, sister?” Luna put a piece of waffles in her mouth.
“I never say this is bad, but I still can’t imagine eating ten of these.”
Oh Luna, talk to yourself, please. You could eat ten pancakes and it would never get old for you.
“Fair...”
“Today was a busy day. I have to visit a lot of places. Inspecting ponies doing their work.”
“That sounds rather rough, sister. Are you okay? You can take a rest tonight.”
“No, Luna, I still have paperwork to do tonight. No time to rest, ponies still need me.”
“We see, make sure to take care of you first, sister. No pony would like it when you fell ill from exhaustion.”
“Thanks, Luna, I will try.”
Our sister is always like that isn’t she. My little pony this, my little pony that. Is there anything we could help her with that?
“Sadly no, those lies she believes already rooted deep inside her.”
I see.
“But look at the bright side, she makes a very effective leader.”
I suppose so. But we still need to help her.
“Have any idea how?”
No... Luna continues to eat the waffles while waiting for her pancakes.
==========================================================================================
“See Luna, it’s been a few days, and no pony questioning us on our weird behavior.”
We will see about that, Nightmare Moon. Just now Nightmare Moon finishes her strawberry waffles. Where are you going?
“To the east gate”
I see, another session of leisure walk by Nightmare Moon.
“You got it.”
Navigating through the castle is a hassle as usual. Many turning corners and stairs later, Nightmare Moon comes to the east gate. There she could see two lunar guards. Silver Shine, a seasoned veteran, had a dark blue coat and silver mane. and Sky Victory, a recruit, had a light blue coat and cyan mane. Both of the guards is a bat-pony.
Oh, I see what you did here, Nightmare Moon. tonight scheduled light rain. and it happens that there are two guards on patrol duty.
"Leave me alone Luna, can't you let a mare have her fun?". Both guards approach Nightmare Moon. "And also, it kind of sucks that we share memories."
I will agree with that.
"May I offer you my assistance, your majesty?"
"Pri-princess Luna! am I in trouble?". Nightmare Moon could only smile at their antics.
"There is nothing important at the moment, Silver Shine. we only wish to join you on your nightly patrol. and no, Sky Victory, you are not in trouble. but it would be trouble if every time you saw us you thought you were in trouble. so promise us this would not happen in the future."
"Certainly, your majesty."
"I-I promise, Princess Luna."
"Very well, shall we set out for our patrol?" Nightmare Moon sees the Silver Shine give a respectful nod with his lazy eye, and Sky Victory eye sparkling. "This is getting better really quick, Luna." Luna could only roll her eyes at that.
They set out on their nightly patrol on a trail in the woods near Everfree. Silver Shine lead the group at the front. Sky Victory takes her chance to talk with Nightmare Moon. “Princess Luna, you are so awesome! I want to be like you! The awesome general Luna!”
“We just doing our duty, Sky Victory.”
“It’s just like others tell me ‘I only doing my duty’ or ‘duty call me’.”
“Oh, we are not just any other pony, Sky Victory. We are the princess of the night.” Both of them giggling.
“Princess Luna, could you call me by my surname? Sky Victory sounds a little too long.”
“We are your princess, and you are our guards. Some level of professionalism is required.”
“Awww.”
“But we could make an exception for tonight.” Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, Nightmare moon could only smile.
“What we are saying is true, Sky, we just doing our duty. No pony has the experience to become a general at the time, including us.”
“But you are awesome. So maybe it’s true that at first, you don’t know what to do as a general. But in the end, you lead them successfully right? Could you please tell me the story?”
“Very well, our story begins when....” Nightmare Moon patiently tells her their story, while walking along the trail. Nightmare Moon, of course, notices Silver Shine listening to her story as well.
Halfway through their patrol route, Nightmare moon finally finishes telling her their story. “Thank you, princess, you are so awesome! Do you mind if I retell it to my other friend?”
“Not at all, sky, go ahead and tell every pony.”
“Even the bad one?”
“We would appreciate if ponies do not think too highly of us. So, yes, even the bad one”
“Luna, her sparkling eye will never get old. She is so adorable.”
You are having too much fun, Nightmare Moon.
“Wait the main event has yet to come. Here it comes.”. A light summer rain breaks through the canopy, and the guards rush to the princess's side and spread their leathery wings to block out the rain as best they can. “It is quite alright guards we enjoy the rain.”
“If I may insist, your majesty, it would unbecoming for a guard.”
“Yes! Princess Luna, if you don’t allow me to do this, I will never hear the end of it from my colleague”
“Squee. This makes me feels like a princess, protected by her guards” Luna just silent, letting nightmare Moon enjoy her time.