"Celestia, can you hear me?" the tired Princess heard a voice. It was vaguely familiar.
"She hears you," another familiar voice shortly answered. Celestia felt a piece of cloth land on her face.
"Open your eyes, Celestia, slowly," the first voice instructed firmly, but gently. Celestia slightly opened one eye, the cloth on her head muffled the light. She was in bed, her head resting on a pillow. She must have had an accident and the voice she is hearing must have been Luna's. She did not quite remember what happened, but surely there was no reason for concern. "How do you feel? Anything out of place?"
"I feel..." the question was suddenly hard to answer. "I seem to feel every piece of my body very keenly," Celestia answered.
"That is quite normal, Celestia. Luna had much the same feeling after extended periods of inaction." Celestia's heart skipped a beat, if this was not Luna, then why did she sound... oh... yes, Celestia remembered now. She blinked a few times and pulled the cloth from her eyes.
To her view came the room with crystal walls, much like in Twilight's castle with a simple table a bookshelf and a glowing red circle on the floor, as well as two clouds of smoke. One had something resembling a face, which she instantly recognized. The other only had two bright, glowing eyes, Celestia hardly needed an introduction all the same. In the corner of her eye, she spotted more movement. There was another bed, and sleeping in it was her exact copy... but her mane was bright pink.
"Is that..."
"My sister, yes, Celestia," Nightmare Moon readily answered. "I am afraid she will not be glad to see you again," she said, quickly dropping her look to the floor, only for a moment.
It was weird to see her simply sleeping in the next bed like this. That thing tried to overrule Celestia in of her own body, as hard as she tried she never succeeded, neither did Celestia in getting rid of her. Celestia wasn't sure if she was glad that she won't have to listen to this creature inside her very thoughts, or if she was distraught to have to deal with her in reality. The fact that she looked all but identical to her did not help.
Celestia started to carefully sit up in her bed, immediately something black appeared at her side and grasped one of her hooves, helping her.
"Thank you, my little..." the last part stuck in Celestia's throat as she managed to get a better look. Celestia instinctively tore her hoof away from the remarkably old changeling.
"Celestia, meet Shadow. She is my retainer," Nightmare Moon calmly explained. "She will not harm you or anyone else here."
"Your Highness," the changeling nodded and respectfully bowed.
"You never mentioned her," Celestia warily pointed out.
"Her duty was more covert during your stay." Although Celestia was not yet convinced that she wasn't dreaming, she found herself nodding. When the changeling attempted to help her off the bed, Celestia simply waved her off with a short thanks.
"It is best if you are not here when she wakes up," Nightmare Moon pointed at her sister with her eyes. "I will speak to her. Twilight is outside, breathing in fresh air for the last few hours. I expect your student will be overjoyed to see you." Twilight... of course, Celestia remembered Twilight. Celestia didn't feel anything at the mention, though her mind suggested that she should.
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea," Celestia agreed.
"Shadow, provide your escort," Nightmare ordered.
"This way, Your Highness," the changeling said meekly in her hoarse voice, trying to sound less intimidating. As uneasy as Celestia felt about being left alone with her, she seemed to be harmless enough. Especially since she had no horn.
As they left the room, it became very apparent that this isn't either Twilight's castle or the Crystal City. The natural rock blended with crystals, although the crystal parts definitely were inspired by the castle. There were no windows and the only light, that was, came from small, magical lights in the walls. Celestia's confusion only grew when the changeling started leading her upwards. These have to be the old crystal mines under Canterlot. They soon arrived directly into some kind of mansion. It was definitely not the Palace, the iconography was wrong. She recognized no hallways, windows were different and had drapes of the wrong color. Soft sunlight was seeping inside.
"Where am I?" Celestia asked aloud, forgetting she wasn't alone for a moment.
"We are the guests of Queen Sky Star at mount Aris, Your Highness," the changeling quietly responded.
"Queen Sky Star?" Celestia widened her eyes. "Wasn't it Novo?"
"It was," the changeling shortly nodded. "She died from old age and her daughter now rules." The answer confused Celestia further. She assumed she had spent some time in a coma due to Nightmare Moon seemingly having lost her material form again, but how much time really passed?
"I think Princess Twilight mentioned she wanted to catch up with the Queen. Perhaps we could ask one of the guards," the changeling suggested, drawing Celestia out of her thoughts again. Celestia looked down at her escort with suspicion. The changeling didn't flinch, demonstrating her bearing, only her eyes intelligently gleamed despite how old and crackled her shell was.
"Alright," Celestia finally agreed. "Let us find one then," Celestia took a step forward, unwilling to be led by a changeling anymore. The guard that got the pleasure of speaking to her all but shrank into a dot at her approach. Celestia gently smiled at him and pleasantly asked for some directions on where her student was currently. The stunned guard took a moment to remember but gave her what she asked for in the end. Celestia then thanked him and was on her way again, leaving a completely bewildered hippogriff behind. The changeling followed her a step behind, producing as few sounds as she could. Celestia did not enjoy her company, but she couldn't deny that she was a well-taught servant and that made her presence tolerable.
The guard told her that Twilight and Sky Star were having a walk in the garden. The Queen of Hippogriffs did not have much work, it seemed. It took most of her day to manage Equestria back when she was the only Princess. Luna lessened her load a little. Thinking about her little sister almost made her lose a step.
"Your Highness?" the changeling noticed her gait change. "Are you feeling well?"
"Yes, I just..." Celestia couldn't exactly find the word.
"No need to explain yourself to me, Your Highness," the changeling mercifully let her go. Celestia gratefully sighed. They went on without speaking. Upon finding the entry doors, Celestia was greeted with a view of the whole city. This was new to her, the last time she visited mount Aris had a few overgrown ruins with the hippogriffs living underwater. As Celestia found them, Sky Star was sitting on a bench together with who could only be Twilight. She has grown, her new alicorn physiology starting to bloom. Her body language still remained the same. Twilight sat with her forelegs pressed into her face, while Sky Star comfortingly touched her shoulder. She was the first to notice their approach.
"Twilight, Lady Daybreaker," she quietly stated. Ah, so Daybreaker got to roam in her body for a while. It was obvious, really, but it was very hard to think about for some reason. Twilight removed her hooves from her head and gave Celestia a look which made her see just how much has truly changed.
"What do you want?" Twilight rolled every word with a distaste that Celestia never saw her exude once before.
Celestia tried to smile despite the circumstance,
"Twilight, I am so glad to see you again!" Or rather she knew she should be glad, she felt nothing inside. "Daybreaker is down in the catacombs, Twilight. Nightmare Moon freed me from her."
"Ce-lestia?" Twilight asked with suspicion.
"Yes, Twilight! I am here with you," Celestia expected Twilight to start questioning, or even to get up and hug her.
"Ughhhh!" Twilight groaned and slapped her forehead with her hoof and continued sitting like this for a while. "Did I miss an announcement? This looks like a Canterlot reunion party! The only one we are missing is Luna." Celestia felt abashed by Twilight's sudden sarcasm.
"Is something wrong?" she could only ask.
"Well, nothing is wrong! Makes sense that Her Majesty would want to see all of us back together. I wonder if there will be a time when she would ask anyone's opinion first. Who knows, tomorrow Rainbow and Rarity might be back together too. I guess if Her Majesty can't make them stop bickering for a second, nothing can."
"Twilight, maybe a little more gentle," Sky Star tried to pull the Princess back in line.
"Oh, yes. I am sorry. What was it you wanted again?" Twilight retreated back to her question.
"To see you..." Celestia answered honestly, not sure how to take Twilight's burst.
"Well, you are seeing me," Twilight deeply frowned. "I hope you like what you see."
"Her Highness could have grown a little anti-social in recent decades, Your Highness," Shadow quietly whispered at Celestia's side, helping Celestia to cope with the shock.
"Twilight, what happened? Where did all of this come from?" Celestia asked, hoping to at least get a reason.
"Celestia, you of all ponies shouldn't ask me that question. You know exactly what happened and it was all your fault!" Twilight exploded. "I should have seen it when you almost lost our home to Chrysalis! You are pathetic! It was only a matter of time before somebody snatched your crown out of your weak grasp! I was such a fool to follow you for so long! You've been using me to do your dirty work for years! You picked me up early and made me into your adoring puppet! And when it came to defending your own subjects, you didn't just fail! You refused to fight! Chrysalis was pathetic and you still took no action to stop her even though you knew how wicked she was and what her intentions were! Nightmare Moon was right to get rid of you, we are all better off without your leadership!"
Twilight then gave her a long, expectant glare, but Celestia had neither will nor the ability to argue. Quite frankly, Celestia had no idea what her former student was talking about. She remembered the changeling invasion and her rather, admittedly, disgraceful failure to notice anything ahoof with her own niece and guard captain, but Twilight herself did exactly as she was expected to do in such a case.
"Ughhh! I've got places to be," growing tired of waiting, Twilight sharply got on her hooves and stormed past Celestia on her way back inside.
"Uhmm... Princess Celestia? I am sorry you had to go through this," Sky Star attempted to start making amends.
"No, it is I who has to express my apology, Your Majesty. I should have queried my... liege if she would explain what happened since our last meeting," Celestia responded mostly on reflex. "It seems that I am quite out of the loop, as they say."
"Princess Twilight avoided speaking of you to me, Your Highness. She is rather reclusive as of now, preferring to remain with her research than with me. I am worried for her, truth be told. She has changed much since the last time we've met. Most of all her relationship with her friends, if they could be even called this anymore."
"She mentioned her friends' bickering," Celestia somberly nodded.
"That is, to put it mildly, Your Highness. In time, it became so bad that Rainbow Dash and Rarity could not remain in one room without finding reasons to... well, bicker. It was not my place to intervene."
"Understandable, Your Majesty," Celestia nodded again. "We all are grateful for your concern."
"Your Highness, if I may have a word. Princess Twilight always spoke fondly of you before, although Her Majesty made a consistent effort to teach her better than to put you, or her, on a pedestal. I don't think that even she expected such a result, however." Celestia arched a brow at the changeling mare. Just how much did Nightmare Moon allow her to know?
"Shadow, is it?" Sky Star asked. "Are you Lady Moon's servant?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the changeling readily bowed. "I was her retainer during her time at the helm. She instructed me to be as cooperative as I can as long as you do not plot any treachery."
"I see. I must say, I am a little jealous of your mistress. I would be humbled to have a servant so loyal as to stay with me for this many years. You do your mistress great honor."
"I am honored by your high praise," Shadow bowed again.
"I believe it's time for us to return back to... my liege," Celestia spoke up. "We have much to discuss indeed."
"I understand, Your Highness. We will speak more later," Sky Star then suddenly tore her gaze away from Celestia and looked past her. Celestia turned around to see what could have taken the Queen's interest. And she saw... herself. There, In the distance, was her copy again, staring at her. Daybreaker stared at Celestia with disgust, fear, hatred and shock all at once. Her mouth was opening and closing silently. Celestia felt no such emotions for the creature, so she did what she did every time upon meeting someone, Celestia gently smiled at her copy. Daybreaker's eye twitched. With a short flash, the mare was gone, teleporting away. Celestia never even noticed the black shadow next to her until it began to move.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness," she greeted formally, approaching.
"Lady Moon," Sky Star nodded.
"Your Majesty," Celestia bowed her head. "I see Lady Daybreaker is taking the news better than expected."
"Somewhat. It is hard to say more, for now. My sister showed no sign of aggression."
"Mistress, if I may. Lady Daybreaker looked pained more than anything else," Shadow suggested.
"As expected," Nightmare confirmed. "It is regrettable that she has to go through this, but it is necessary. Celestia, while I do not judge you for trying to defend yourself from her, I'll have you know that Daybreaker is traumatized by your treatment. My usually proud and pompous sister was so terrified of having to face you again that she was willing to grovel and beg me to protect her from your student and her friends with their terrible Elements. I suspect she believes we are about to banish or even slay her now."
"This might not be the case, Mistress," Shadow gently contradicted. "Lady Daybreaker was persistently working on her self-control. The Lady was repentant for all her misdeeds and blamed her lack of patience, self-control and trust. I watched her on many a sleepless night as she tried to meditate her sorrow away. I believe she will do nothing rash at this time."
Nightmare Moon took several moments to think before responding:
"I suppose you are correct, my sister has changed plenty. Your counsel is wise, my Shadow."
The changeling happily smiled at the praise,
"Thank you, Mistress," she bowed again.
"I don't expect we will be moving on before we resolve this situation, Your Majesty," Nightmare Moon addressed the Queen. "I would like to use this moment to show our appreciation for your hospitality, which we did not expect upon coming here. We do not have much to offer in return but I can offer my own knowledge and expertise, as well as any that Her Highness or Princess Twilight would be willing to provide. If you would have us, given the history between me and your mother."
"I accept your offer with gratitude, Lady Moon," Sky Star bowed, only slightly. "Shall you put down a list of your suggestions?"
"If that is what you require, Your Majesty. I would need access to your recent doings for reviewing. As of now, if you would excuse us, we must attend to my sister."
"Of course," Sky Star nodded. "I will not delay you any longer."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Nightmare Moon moved away, Celestia mechanically took the cue and followed.
"I am sorry you had to return at such a time," Nightmare Moon quietly said, once Celestia caught up with her. "I suspect you have questions."
Celestia knew that she should have, but in reality, she had very few,
"Nightmare, what happened to Luna?" Nightmare Moon didn't answer for a long moment.
"She died," Nightmare Moon gloomily answered. "Sombra rectified it as much as he could, Luna is a vampony now. She controls her urges, however."
The news didn't surprise Celestia, she expected a similar answer,
"Is Sombra your ally now?"
"He... a difficult question. He has Luna's best interests in mind and if those align with ours, he will help. Trusting him would be foolish, however."
"I understand. I would like him to tell me where my sister is then."
"Luna is with the batwings, in their temple. Sombra said they worship her."
"Good," Celestia nodded. "She is provided for then."
"Yes, but Sombra's sudden decision to ally with us is a cause for concern, there was a certain trace of desperation in his offer too. I fear he might not be telling us everything."
"We will go even if he won't."
"Of course."
Celestia may have never quite agreed with Nightmare Moon's methods, but they were long past the point when it still had any meaning. Now they both had exactly the same aim and it pleased Celestia to know so. Nightmare Moon took her down the steep streets, with hippogriffs and the few ponies present reverently, or fearfully, getting out of their way. Arriving at the foot of the mountain, Nightmare Moon led her to a walled compound, that looked like a prison camp but with its gates wide open.
"Mistress, should I check if anything in our camp needs to be brought to your attention?" the changeling asked, most likely only to give Nightmare Moon a reason to send her away for the private talk that was coming.
"No, my Shadow. I will see to my sisters myself soon, stay with us for now," Nightmare Moon instructed with softness that Celestia rarely saw her show.
"Yes, Mistress," the changeling curtly responded and said no more. The space inside the walls reminded Celestia of one of the nomad camps she saw in her younger years. A collection of brightly colored tents and wagons housed an even brighter collection of ponies, moving through the camp with their daily activities or trading the trinkets they had to the visiting hippogriffs. To her surprise, she spotted Filthy Rich in their number as well, together with a small filly that kept staring directly at her while they were passing. The ponies were giving Nightmare reverent greetings and usually happy smiles, then looking away from her and trying not to get in her way. There also were two police ponies in uniform standing together and observing the camp. Once they saw them approaching, they stared at her with a mixture of disbelief and awe on the already buzzed faces. Nightmare Moon paid them no heed, passing straight to a large, white tent at the center of the camp.
"It is better if you wait outside," Nightmare Moon loudly whispered. "We will see you in a moment, hopefully."
Nightmare Moon then floated straight through the cloth into the tent. Celestia stood by the entrance and prepared to listen. For a little while, there was silence.
"You didn't have to come. I would be gone by the evening," Daybreaker said calmly, having already suppressed her emotions from before.
"Sister, I told you, I do not intend to replace you. I am wounded that you would think otherwise. I am sorry that I did not ask your opinion, but we both know what your reaction would've been."
"Nightmare, what did I do so wrong that you felt the need to have her back?" Daybreaker's composure cracked as quickly as she restored it, her voice sounded as if she was about to cry. "Was it me murdering you? Or my failure to look after our sister properly? But you said you forgave me!"
"I did, dear sister," Nightmare Moon said softly. "I am sorry that you had to go through this again."
"Sister, you don't need her! I will serve you better!"
"Of course you will, but Celestia had to return not because you failed me in any way. Daybreaker, her remaining trapped was unjust. I understand that you lack any empathy for her, but Celestia does not deserve this fate. I hope that you will understand one day or even make amends."
"A-amends?! Nightmare, she spent thousands of years finding new and elaborate ways to make me suffer so that I would not rise against her! I lived with the fear that she would find a way to kill me for every waking moment! You freed me from her and now you want me to make amends?!"
"I will not insist. I am only here to tell you that no matter what happens, you will always have your place here with me. Daybreaker, you are my sister and I will never disown you. Rest some more, for now, I hope to see you with me tomorrow."
"Wait! Nightmare, I'll try... What would you have me do?"
"I would have you do only that which would make you happy, sister. Now rest." Nightmare Moon then exited the tent and led Celestia a few steps away so that her sister could not hear them anymore.
"This is what you did to her, Celestia," she pinched coldly. "My sister whimpers from just thinking of you taking her place again. Her aggressive behavior is most likely your doing as well. I wonder how you could be so gentle to your little ponies and so cruel to someone who never had a choice if she wanted to be your enemy."
"I could not risk her harming them," Celestia responded.
"I understand as much, this is why I shall not judge. And now?"
"Now I have no more issues with your sister, she got what she wanted."
"That's it? No more issues? You traumatized her, Celestia!" The Princess of The Sun didn't respond. Celestia had nothing she could say to an accusation like that and Nightmare Moon spoke the truth. She felt nothing, even though she knew it was true.
Seeing the lack of answer, Nightmare Moon visibly shrank,
"Stay in the camp for now. My sister might not wish it, but she made a promise. She will come looking for you. I ask you only to not reject her. I will be back here soon after I speak with Twilight and Sombra more, then we will depart," having said that, Nightmare Moon departed by floating away upwards and back to the top of the mountain, leaving Celestia in the middle of a bustling camp.
Celestia needed to think. She found a shaded corner by the western wall where she could hide from multiple the curious eyes all around her. This would suffice.
"Lady Celestia?" The changeling followed her like a puppy.
"I want to be alone," she said without even looking back.
"Can I get you anything?"
"Not now, thank you."
"Of course, I will be nearby."
This situation was peculiar. It felt like she was sleeping peacefully in one of Cadance's best rooms and now she was here. She did not remember anything in between. She didn't care regardless, she simply wanted to see her sister, but that would not come for at least a little while it seemed. She could go on her own, Nightmare Moon told her where Luna was after all. But she still knew so little about what was going on. Another matter she had to address, if she was going to stay with Nightmare Moon, is her relationships. Primarily with Daybreaker.
She knew her rather well, or she believed so. Daybreaker made it clear to her that she hated her long before Luna's return, but that was of no importance any longer. Daybreaker was more afraid of her than she hated her and that was enough, at least she won't get in the way. If all fails, there is still Nightmare Moon, who has remarkable control over her unruly sister.
Celestia's relations with Nightmare Moon did not seem to have changed. Nightmare Moon always treated her as a friend after her unexpected pardon. She even expressed remorse but did not step down from her throne won with blood.
And Twilight now wanted nothing to do with her. Well, Celestia did not mind that as long as it didn't hinder their progress.
Celestia pondered the situation for a while more and the sun was starting to settle down to the horizon. Soon it will be time to raise the moon. Celestia almost forgot when was the last time she did it. Experimentally, Celestia reached out to her sun in the sky. It obeyed her as easily as it always did, starting to gently drift downwards. The feeling of the sun obeying her brought memories from long before, Celestia smiled wistfully without noticing. But then the sun suddenly stopped, refusing to obey her further.
"It's too early," Celestia heard her own voice. At its source was Celestia, or rather Daybreaker. Daybreaker seemingly calmed down. She didn't look tranquil, in fact, she looked rather sad, but she passed through her shock. Having gained her attention, Daybreaker walked directly in front of Celestia and sat down, just two steps away. She then proceeded to stoically stare Celestia in the eye. Celestia could feel her breath, such closeness was making her uncomfortable.
"Nightmare wants us to make amends," Daybreaker finally said and lowered her eyes.
"I have no issue with that suggestion," Celestia responded. They both sat in silence for almost a minute.
"We need to agree on terms of our coexistence," Daybreaker stated, still looking at Celestia's hooves.
"I suppose we do. That is rather simple, I believe. I will avoid conflict if you would do the same. I have no more grudges against you."
"No more grudges?!" Daybreaker suddenly looked up at her again. "Is that all you have to say?!"
"Yes," Celestia answered unfazed. "Quite frankly, I see very little that we can talk about."
"Maybe what you did to me?" Daybreaker grunted.
"We both know that I only did to you what you always intended to do to me. Your sister understands."
"Ughrrr..." Daybreaker half-sighed half-growled. "I promised her that I would try to make peace with you."
"And this is exactly what I am doing. I have no more grudges with you, if you have any remaining, I suggest you let go aswell."
"Celestia, why can't you ever simply talk to me?" Daybreaker said with a tired sigh. "Why do our sisters have a relationship while you refuse to even communicate?"
"Daybreaker, we hardly ever had anything to talk about," Celestia herself was getting tired, having gone through this more than once in the past.
"And that is, I expect, what Nightmare wants us to rectify."
"Your sister is only interested in her plan to go smoothly. I believe we are civilized enough to avoid allowing our past to cause problems in the present. Is there anything else?" Daybreaker sighed again and silently stood up and walked away back to the camp. Her gait gave away how dissatisfied she was with the arrangement.