//------------------------------// // XVI - Another Turn // Story: Rise and Shine // by Skijarama //------------------------------// And so their days in that small, abandoned settlement were spent huddled away, scrounging for paltry scraps where naught but the memories of ghosts remained. Hunger and hopelessness consumed them, and in the midst of their festering despair, their will to rise to meet the new day began to fade… How many days had they been here? Celestia had given up trying to count. The sluggish crawl of light and darkness meant almost nothing to her anymore, each one dragging on and on to the point of tedium. She often found herself drawing the curtains closed in their little home just to shut out the light so they could sleep. In time, lethargy replaced exhaustion, and hunger replaced sorrow. Celestia made a few scattered trips into Flatstone over the coming days, scrounging for wood for the firepit. By a stroke of luck, she even managed to stumble across an old pan in one of the huts, tucked away in a closet. It was old and rusted, but a few minutes of furiously scrubbing at it with her magic left it as clean as she could get it. And now the pan floated over the firepit in their hut, suspended in Celestia’s magic. She watched it carefully, eyeing the snow and ice within as it slowly melted from the heat. She knew she’d need to add more soon if they wanted a decent amount of water to drink, but she could wait a little bit. It was morning. Or, well, morning in the sense that Celestia had only woken up a short time ago. By the light outside, Celestia guessed that the sun was less than halfway through its now absurdly long crawl across the sky. She almost couldn’t hear the ever-present howl of the wind. Almost. A stirring behind her drew her attention. She turned to see Luna slowly sitting up in the bed, eyes on the fire. She blinked blearily, the dark rings under her eyes plainly visible and quite telling of her exhaustion. Celestia frowned. Luna’s strength still hadn’t returned. It didn’t make any sense. She was still wounded, sure, but would that really drain the smaller filly of so much of her energy? Luna turned her eyes from the fire to look at Celestia. Her smile was weak and strained. “Morning, Tia.” Celestia put on a smile of her own. “Morning. Sleep well?” Luna stood on the bed, keeping herself wrapped in her blankets. She looked down from the side of the bed, her eyes narrowing in thought. Celestia immediately put the pan down next to the fire and reached out with her magic, helping Luna down. “Here, let me. Careful,” she said, easing Luna onto the floor next to her. Luna only grimaced slightly from the movement. Once the pain passed, she settled down beside Celestia and gave her a grateful nod. “I slept okay,” she said. Celestia felt a small wave of relief. A night without screaming night terrors was rare these days, and she was grateful for every tiny blessing they could get. She turned back to the pan, returning it to its place over the fire. “That’s good. I’ll have some water for us to drink ready in a bit.” Luna hummed, looking into the fire. The two fell silent after that. There wasn’t anything else for them to say, by Celestia’s reckoning. This had been their routine for at least a few days now. Rise, boil water, wait for it to cool, then drink it while it was still hot. Then Celestia would go outside and scavenge for more firewood… An audible growl passed through the hut from Luna’s belly, making Celestia flinch. She was reminded of her own hunger and dwindling strength. The water they got from the snow was keeping them alive—for now—but there was no getting around the fact that they were starving.  Luna looked down for a moment, a look of discomfort on her face. She shuffled in place for a few seconds, her eyes darting about as if looking for something to say. Celestia left her to it, focusing on the pan. It was time for more water. Without a word, she stood and went for the door, bringing the pan with her. In one swift motion, she sent the pan outside, scooped up more snow and ice, and then brought it back in, shutting the door before too much of their heat could escape. It was just as the door closed that Luna suddenly spoke up. “Happy birthday.” Celestia almost dropped the pan. She spun to face Luna, reeling with confusion. “What?” Luna forced herself to smile. “Happy birthday. It’s your birthday today,” she said, her voice all sweet and friendly. Celestia just stared at her, dumbfounded. She realized her jaw was hanging open and snapped it shut. “It’s my birthday? How do you know?” she asked, returning the pan to the fire. “The days haven’t been right for what feels like forever.” Luna hesitated, her smile melting off her face like snow in summer. She tilted her head to one side, her muzzle scrunching up in thought. “I… dunno. I just know it’s your birthday,” she said softly, one ear drooping to one side. Celestia just stared at her for a moment. She then gave off a bemused chuckle and shook her head. She sat down beside Luna and pulled the smaller filly into a side hug with her wing. “Heh. My birthday, huh?” she asked with a hint of playfulness. “That makes me thirteen.” Luna smiled up at her, cuddling into her side. “We should do something nice.” Celestia couldn’t keep back a small bark of laughter. “Ha! Something nice? Like what?” she asked, equal parts curious and baffled. Luna hummed quietly for a few seconds, clearly thinking. A few moments passed before she gave off a sigh, sagging against Celestia. “I don’t know. Something. You’ve been working so hard… you deserve to have some fun.” Celestia’s smile faltered. She took hold of Luna’s shoulders and stared deep into her eyes. “Luna… I appreciate it, really. But I have to work hard. I have to take care of you. I… I promised mom that I would.” The light faded from Luna’s eyes. She looked down, her ears drooping. “...I miss them,” she sniffled softly. Celestia lowered her head. Without a word, she pulled Luna into a much warmer embrace. “I know. I miss them, too,” she said. But even as Luna trembled in her hooves, Celestia didn’t even so much as give a shudder. She was too tired to cry anymore. And even if she wasn’t, she doubted she had any tears left. In time, the hug came to an end. The snow was done melting, and the water had come to a boil. Celestia took the pot away from the fire, and once it had cooled enough, she and Luna took turns sipping from the pan. The hot water did wonders to chase away the cold and fill their bellies with warmth, but it also served to remind Celestia of how painfully empty her belly was. Another audible grumble passed through the room, this time from Celestia’s stomach. She winced in pain, one hoof flying to her belly to try and quell the ache. Luna looked at her, her eyes shimmering with concern. “You’re hungry,” she said quietly. Celestia nodded, taking her next sip from the pan. She didn’t say anything, though. Luna was quiet until the pan was passed to her again. She suddenly gasped, sitting upright as if a brilliant idea just came to her. She turned to Celestia, her lips tugging up into an eager smile. “Wait! I got it! I know what we can do for your birthday!” Celestia quirked a brow. “Oh, do you? And what’s that?” Luna looked to the door. “You told me that there’s another pony living in Flatstone, right? What was his name? Mudflat?” Celestia went rigid. She already knew where Luna was going with this, and she already knew it wouldn’t work. She hadn’t even seen Mudflat in her last few excursions. She sighed and opened her mouth to say as such, but Luna was already speaking. “Maybe he’d be willing to share some food with you because it’s your birthday!” she said eagerly. “And then you won’t be hungry anymore!” Celestia rubbed at the bridge of her snout, closing her eyes. “Luna… no. That’s not going to work,” she said flatly. “But why not?” “Because Mudflat’s a selfish, arrogant old horse who only cares about himself!” Celestia snapped, unable to keep the bitter resentment out of her tone. “And he hates us because of our stupid horns and wings! He doesn’t want anything to do with us, and if he was going to share food with us, he would have done it already!” The silence that followed the outburst was staggering, and it was only then that Celestia realized how much she had raised her voice. She opened her eyes, looking down to see Luna’s eyes staring fearfully back up at her. Celestia felt a tinge of guilt. She gingerly reached down to pull Luna closer, giving off a quiet sigh. “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout,” she said quietly, closing her eyes. Luna cuddled up to Celestia, but it didn’t feel like she was seeking comfort this time. When she spoke, it was in a quiet, trembling whisper. “You… really hate him, huh?” Celestia hesitated. Did she hate Mudflat? He was absolutely frustrating to deal with, and his bitter remarks and selfish refusal to share food made it incredibly difficult to like him. But she didn’t think she’d go so far as to say she hated him… But, on the other hoof, Luna wouldn’t be so hungry if he had just shared… “I… dislike him,” she finally said, though even that felt wrong to her. “Besides, you have to be my priority. You’re smaller than I am, and you’re hurt.” Luna pulled back, shaking her head. “No, you need to eat too! You’re always going out and trying to find food and supplies! When those… things… attacked us, you carried me all the way down the mountain. You gotta keep your strength up, too.” Celestia didn’t even try to argue the point. She heaved a heavy sigh and shook her head. “Gah. It doesn’t matter,” she eventually said, turning back to the fire. “Mudflat’s not gonna share with us.” “But isn’t it at least worth a shot?” Luna pressed, leaning forward. “The worst that can happen is he’ll say no.” Celestia frowned, trying to tune out Luna’s insistence. But then came the gurgling of their bellies again, insistent and painful, and she couldn’t help but grimace, unable to stifle a groan. Whether she liked it or not, Luna did have a point. If she went and asked Mudflat for food, he’d just say no, and it would be a waste of a trip. But they were starving… and really, what else did she have to lose? Celestia heaved a heavy sigh and rose to her hooves. “Alright, okay, fine. I’ll go talk to the old fart… for all the good it’ll do,” she said, using her magic to slip on her saddlebags and tie one of their blankets around her neck like a cloak. “Stay put and drink some more water. Keep warm.” Luna withered on the spot, leaning forward slightly. “Can… can I come with you this time?” she asked hopefully. Celestia didn’t even hesitate. She shook her head. “No. You’re still hurt, and I don’t want Mudflat being mean to you. Just stay where it’s warm. I’ll be back soon.” Luna flinched but offered no response save for a dismayed nod. Celestia watched her for a few seconds before, with a tired sigh, slipping back out into the snow. The cold slashed at her body immediately, making her shiver. She pulled her makeshift cloak tighter around her form before taking off at a brisk pace, trying to keep her body temperature up. The snow was heavier than usual today, limiting her visibility. The wind howled loudly in her ears, drowning out everything else. She tried to stay in the cover of buildings as much as possible, but even they offered precious little protection from the frost. The old buildings around her were hazy silhouettes of gray against the all-devouring white death that her world had become. She could occasionally hear wood creaking, or old metal groaning and screeching. She imagined the sounds were the phantasmal screams of the dead, calling out to her from beyond some unseen veil. Celestia did her best to ignore it all. She grit her teeth and pressed on.  Mudflat’s house came into sight before too long. Celestia paused at the sight of it, her brow furrowed with distaste, and her blanket billowing in the wind behind her. She was not pleased to see the house again, if only because of who she knew lived inside.  “I’ll be quick,” she thought to herself, starting up the steps. “I’ll knock, ask for some food, he’ll say no, and I’ll go home without a fuss.” Just as she was about to reach out and knock, however, a sound reached her ears, stopping her with her hoof mere inches from the door. She frowned, listening carefully for the sound to repeat itself. The wind howled ominously. The wood of the old home rattled out a low, ghostly knell. And then Mudflat’s voice came from within, coughing weakly, followed by a muffled, quiet groan. Celestia went rigid, a chill unrelated to the frost settling over her skin. She swallowed heavily, her mind racing. A horrible feeling built within her breast, as if her lungs and heart were being constricted. Her instincts were screaming at her to turn tail and flee, but she had come here for a reason. So, steeling herself, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She heard a shuffling from within, but no steps. Mudflat’s groaning voice followed a moment later, weak and frail. “Who’s there?” “It’s Celestia,” Celestia replied, struggling to keep the anxious tremble out of her voice. “Are you okay?’ She heard Mudflat give off a snort. “Bah. Course you’d come by… get in here, kid. I ain’t talking to ya through the stupid door.” Celestia gingerly opened the door, poking her head inside. The rancid odor from her first visit struck her like a brick wall, making her nose wrinkle and her eyes water. The fireplace was lit, but only barely, the cold shafts of light dulled by drawn curtains. Up ahead, Mudflat was just visible as an orange outline in the darkness, slumped with his back to the counter, a few empty bottles around him. Celestia’s chest tightened. Even in this dim lighting, she could see that Mudflat looked awful. His chest was heaving with every breath, each one accompanied by a moist crackling sound. It was enough to make Celestia’s fur stand on end, her gut churning with disgust. Mudflat’s eyes met hers, exhausted. He beckoned to her with a jerk of his head. “Get in and… close the door. Outta the cold.” Celestia closed the door behind her, but she did not cross the remaining distance between her and Mudflat. She stayed by the entrance, watching him with wide, unfocused eyes.  “You’re dying,” she whispered, not even realizing she was saying it until the words were in the open. Mudflat barked out a broken rasp of a cackle that swiftly devolved into a moist, disgusting fit of coughs and gasps. Celestia cringed and looked away as something came up from his hacks. “Hah! Only figuring that out now?” Mudflat finally asked her once his fit died down. “Guh… been dyin’ for a while, little miss. Even before the snow killed the world.” There was a distant acceptance to his voice that reminded Celestia of Sprout and Honey’s final words to her. Her heart twisted in her chest at the reminder, and her lips drew into a thin line. “Why?” Celestia finally asked, though she wasn’t sure she actually wanted to know. “What’s killing you?” Mudflat sat up a little straighter, groaning in pain as he went. “I’m old, kid. Real old. I was full-grown before your folks were even at their mother’s teats.” He reached down to one of the bottles and lifted it to his lips. A disappointed groan came from him when he discovered it was empty. He cast it aside with a lazy flick of his hoof. “Hmph. Lungs started going bad a couple years back. Some days were worse than others… Needed a lotta help to get by…” Mudflat shook his head, affixing Celestia with a stern glare. “Gah, the heck am I talking about? Whaddya want, kid?” Celestia was quiet for a few moments, conflicted. Her eyes darted between Mudflat and the door to his pantry. If he was dying, then it would be trivially easy to go and take the food she and Luna desperately needed. This could be her big chance to buy her sister more time, and ease their pain, even if only a little bit.  But then her gaze settled on Mudflat, this old pony who had been here since long before she’d ever even been born, and her ears drooped. He looked so pitiful. Weak. But more than that, beneath the scorn and the bitterness in his scowl, she could see something else.  Something sad. That look was all it took to make up her mind. Reluctantly, she took a few steps toward him. “Um… do you want help?” she offered timidly. Mudflat scoffed. “Hmph. Take a good look at me, kid. I’m too far gone to save,” he rebuked, lifting a hoof before devolving into another fit of coughs. Celestia waited patiently for him to recover. When his fit died down, he sucked in a heaving gasp before looking back at her. “Besides, why would ya wanna help me, anyway?” Celestia was quiet for a few seconds, her ears drooping. “...Because, an old pony who would know better than I did once told me that, no matter how much we fight and spit, and grumble at one another, we don’t shun each other. No matter how old, bitter, selfish, or stupid. We count on one another. Depend on one another to help us carry our burdens when they’re a bit too much to handle on our own…” She then focused on his eyes, her jaw set and her voice firm. “But do I even need a reason?” Celestia’s words hung in the air, echoing between them with subtle weight. Mudflat watched her for a few seconds, then gave off a weak chortle and shook his head. “Ha ha hah… That’s cheating,” he spat, though there was no hiding the mirth in his voice. Celestia couldn’t help but smile. A few seconds later, Mudflat shook his head again. “Heh. Thanks, but no thanks. There’s nothing you can do for me anyway. All the herbs that coulda treated my problems either died when the snow came down or went with the rest of the town when they left. I’m done for…” Celestia’s smile faded as Mudflat looked off to the side, his eyes going distant. She heaved a quiet sigh. “...Still haven’t answered my question.” Celestia jumped, turning to him. “Huh?” Mudflat glanced at her with a glare. “I asked ya why you came here. Still waitin’ on that answer. Ya didn’t come to offer to help, so why are ya here?” “Does it matter?” Celestia countered. “It’s my house, so yes it matters.” Celestia couldn’t really argue with that. She worked her jaw from side to side for a few seconds before coming a little closer. There wasn’t any harm in telling him the truth, she supposed… and if she was going to take his food, she’d rather it be with his permission. “The truth is… I’m here because my sister asked me to. She thinks it’s my birthday today… and she wanted us to do something special. So she thought, maybe… you’d be willing to share a little food?” Mudflat laughed again, and once again he fell into a fit of wet coughs. Once he regained his composure, he gave her a crooked little smirk. “Oooh, that’s what this is all about, is it?” he asked in an almost teasing voice. “Wait for the old codger to die and snatch up his loot for yourself?” Celestia flinched at that. “I… I didn’t…” Her stomach growled again, the low gurgle echoing awkwardly through the room. She flinched, her cheeks heating up just a little from the poor timing. Mudflat laughed again. This time, the sound was genuinely amused. Hearty. A spark of light and life amid the desolate cold.  When his laughs died down, he closed his eyes. “Ha! Ah… screw it. Help yourself.” Celestia paused, surprised. She met Mudflat’s gaze again, finding his expression had softened somewhat.  “Why?” she asked reluctantly. “Why the change of heart?” “I look like I’m gonna be eating anything else?” Mudflat shot back, giving her a wry smirk. “Nah. I eat anything now I’m just gonna hack it back up. Besides…” He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping with meaning and intensity. “We gotta depend on each other, don’t we?” Celestia was quiet for a few seconds, her lips tugging up again. “I guess so… yeah. Thank you.” Mudflat leaned back, scoffing. “Gah, don’t go getting sentimental on me. It’s just practical,” he shot down, though somehow, Celestia had the impression he was just trying to save face at this point. “Now go and get what yer gonna take. Don’t wait up on my account.” Celestia hesitated a moment longer. Some part of her wanted to stick with Mudflat for the moment, but she wasn’t sure why. There was nothing she could do for him. She knew nothing of medicine, she had no idea what was wrong with him other than his lungs were failing, and the herbs that could have helped were long gone. In the end, however, pragmatism won out, and she slipped into the pantry. She filled her saddlebags with whatever food she could get her magic on in a sort of frantic daze, not bothering to distinguish between one form of food or another. In a matter of minutes, her saddlebags were full to the point of bursting with fruits and veggies, preserved in salt and cold. She came back out with her haul weighing heavily at her sides. Mudflat kept his eyes fixed on her as she came out. She came to a stop in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do. She finally had food, she had to get it back to her sister. But Mudflat… Mudflat raised an eyebrow as if sensing her indecision. “What? Why are you standing there? Ya got what ya wanted, now get!” Celestia hesitated for a few more moments, rubbing the floor with a hoof. “I, er… do you… do you want some company?” she asked quietly, turning back to him. Mudflat just looked at her, perplexed. A few seconds later, he sighed. “Gah… if ya wanna keep me company while I hack up my lungs and die on the floor, then sure, be my guest.” Celestia rolled her eyes at the bitter remark. She set her saddlebags down by the door before walking over to Mudflat and sitting down next to him, albeit a respectable distance away. The two were quiet for a long while, Mudflat occasionally experiencing increasingly-frequent coughing fits. With each one, his eyes drooped more, and his breaths grew more shallow. Eventually, he let out a weak chuckle. Celestia looked sideways at him, curious. He closed his eyes, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. “Heh. Ya know, you remind me of my grandson, almost…” Celestia tilted her head but didn’t say anything. She just listened. Mudflat continued. “Silly little twerp. Way too nice for his own good. Stubborn as a mule and about as smart… didn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer…” he looked up, his eyes opening. They were distant and hazy now. “Gone, now. Up and left with his folks. They came to see me before they went, though. Offered to take me with em. Offered to help me out with my dumb lungs… But I said no. Now they’re gone. All of em… all gone. Probably dead, now…” Celestia was quiet, looking down. “...Why did you say no?” “Because I was dead anyway,” Mudflat confessed. “Wouldn’t have made a difference. Least this way, I die where I belong… and I ain’t slowing them down…” Celestia fell silent, looking away. She ran his words over in her head, closing her eyes. A few moments later, she turned back to him with a small, comforting smile. “I’m sure they’ll make it. Earth Ponies are tough.” Mudflat let out a long breath. “Ha… yeh, well…” his head lazily rolled to look at Celestia. “...thanks.” Celestia nodded. “You’re welcome.” Mudflat’s smile grew. Suddenly, his eyes bulged in their sockets, and he doubled over, falling into another fit of grotesque coughs. Celestia flinched back from him, waiting for it to die down. But it never did. Mudflat’s hoof flew up to his chest, and between his coughs, raspy cries of pain began to echo through the home. It was a horrible sound to hear… The way he cried out between his hacks, the way it was all broken up… it almost sounded like he was crying. Celestia felt an impulse and gingerly rested a hoof on the stallion’s back. He didn’t respond. He just kept coughing and coughing. The seconds ticked by agonizingly slowly. Mudflat soon slumped to the ground, his coughs losing strength. As they fell quieter and quieter, the freezing wind outside howled a bloodthirsty cry of victory as it claimed another soul. The light from the fireplace gradually dimmed, until all was bathed in darkness and shafts of gray. Finally, finally, Mudflat’s coughs fell into silence. He twitched under Celestia’s hoof once, twice, three times, before letting out one last gurgling exhale… and falling completely still. The chill of death settled over the silent interior. Celestia shivered uncontrollably as the chill seeped into her bones and her muscles. She took her hoof away from Mudflat. The silence was unbearable. Her stomach churned. She turned away from the horrible sight with a quiet whimper, before keeling over to retch dryly at the floor. All the while, the winter outside sang its murderous song. The wind was even colder when Celestia finally left Mudflat’s house. The flakes lashed and stung at her face as she walked. The weight of her haul of food felt paltry when compared to the growing sensation of having witnessed yet another pony die. Her thoughts were all in a scrambled, misshaped haze. The concept of mortality was not new to her, but she had been forced to confront it so much in recent days that the sheer terrifying gravity of it was impossible to ignore. Ponies were dying left and right around her, and nothing she did could stop it. Everything was turning white. White and cold and dead, and that death was chasing her everywhere she went. It wouldn’t stop. She’d be next. And if she wasn’t next, it would be Luna. She shivered at the thought and again felt her stomach churning with horror. She staggered to one side, leaning against a wall to catch her breath. Slowly but surely, her spinning thoughts and pounding heart began to calm down. She took deep breaths, forcing herself to concentrate, to return to the here and now. Panic would get her nowhere, this she knew. “Calm down, Celestia. Calm down. Luna needs you to be calm,” she told herself over and over again. As her thoughts stabilized, she took a moment to look around. It was only then that she realized that she was lost.  Flatstone wasn’t a large settlement by any means, but it nonetheless had a hooffull of twists and turns. And between the thick ice fog and the haze of dread miring Celestia’s thoughts, she had allowed herself to stumble astray, and now she had absolutely no idea where she was. “Gah… perfect…” she grumbled under her breath, shaking her head. This was just perfect! She finally had some food to share with her sister, only to get hopelessly turned around in this stupid blizzard! She ran a hoof over her face before stomping it into the snow to vent her frustrations. Movement caught her eye. Celestia jumped with a startled yelp, turning to look out into the fog, but there was nothing there. She blinked, confused. “Huh…?” She could have sworn she had seen movement. She squinted into the fog, her wings unfurling on her back in preparation to leap away if need be. But nothing came. There was nothing there… Now on edge, Celestia tightened her cloak around herself and set off back into the village at a brisk trot. Flatstone was not a large settlement. She knew that she wouldn’t have to wander for long before she would stumble across something familiar, and from there she could retrace her steps back to the shelter. All the same, she couldn’t help but routinely glance over her shoulder, looking for any sign of movement. But there was never anything there. Just snow and wind. She shook her head. She was being paranoid. Right? Celestia’s mind was torn away from her paranoid musings when, at least, she stumbled on something familiar, and she immediately knew where she was. Spurred on by the promise of a reunion with her sister and a warm meal, she picked up the pace. Before long, the small hut came into view, and an overwhelming wave of relief washed over her. The door creaked loudly as Celestia pushed her way inside. She leaned against it as it clicked shut and allowed the warmth from the still crackling fire to wash over her. She closed her eyes, just taking a second to breathe. The stiff aches in her muscles began to fade away, and the numbness in the tips of her hooves began to recede, replaced by blessed warmth. “Tia!” Luna called over, drawing Celestia’s attention. The smaller filly was still on the bed, her eyes alight with relief. She leaned forward as if tempted to leap from the bed but chose against it in the end. “You were gone a while. I was starting to get worried.” Celestia gave Luna a comforting smile and shook her head. “I’m okay. Just a little cold,” she lied before walking over. She took off her cloak and folded it neatly by the fire to dry. Luna’s smile faded somewhat. She shifted uneasily on her haunches, her ears drooping. “So… how did it go?” Celestia froze just as she was about to reach for the saddlebags. It had gone well… technically. Celestia had gotten exactly what she had gone for. But the path to getting it had been rough… in truth, she felt worse now than she did when she had left. She couldn’t help but shudder as the memory of Mudflat’s dead body returned to her mind… Luna waited, her smile disappearing entirely. She shifted forward slightly, tilting her head. “...Sis?” Celestia was snapped out of her stupor. She shook her head to clear out the dark thoughts and gave her sister a comforting smile. Luna didn’t need to know everything. Just the parts that mattered. Without a word, Celestia took off her saddlebags and opened them before Luna, giving the small filly an unobstructed view of her haul. Luna’s eyes flew wide, and Celestia couldn’t help but imagine that she’d have the same look for a chest filled with shiny, golden treasure. “Woah!” Luna finally exclaimed, reaching out with her hooves and picking up a carrot from the pack. “There’s so much food!” Celestia nodded. “Yeah. I figure if we ration it carefully we can make it last a week or two. And I can go back for more, too.” Luna turned to Celestia, her eyes lighting up. “Wow… Mudflat’s really letting you do that?” she asked softly, her voice warm with hope. Celestia flinched, looking away. “Er… yeah. He, uh… he told us we can help ourselves.” It felt wrong to say that, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell Luna that Mudflat was dead. Not right now, at least. That bit of news could wait for another time. That decision made what Luna said next sting even more. “See? I told you you could convince him!” Celestia nodded quietly but did not say anything. A few seconds passed before she shook herself and focused back on Luna with a forced smile. She took the bags back in her magic. “Alright. Come on. Let’s have some soup.” Luna’s eyes lit up. “Soup?” Celestia nodded. “Yeah. We have a pan, we have water, and now we have fruits and veggies.” Luna tilted her head. “Do… you even know how to make soup?” “I dunno, but it’s just soup,” Celestia replied with a small smile. “How hard can it be? Luna opened her mouth. “Don’t answer that.” Luna shut her mouth with a giggle before cuddling up to her big sister. Celestia pulled her in close with a wing while setting to work on her ‘soup.’ As she worked, Luna nuzzled affectionately up to her. “Happy birthday, Tia,” she said in a quiet whisper. Celestia’s smile faltered. “Some birthday…” she thought, once again thinking back to Mudflat. A moment later, she shook her head and returned Luna’s affectionate gesture. “Heh. Thanks, Lu…” she whispered. That night, they enjoyed a shared pan of fruit and vegetable soup. It was poorly made, but the sisters didn’t care. They were just glad to have some warm food in their bellies. Even so, Celestia found that there was precious little joy to be had in the meal.