//------------------------------//
// Step 1 — "A labor of love" — Princess Celestia 
// Story: The Queen of the Dark Ch. I 
// by Forcalor 
//------------------------------//



A person's fate should not be too easy because they will learn to find suffering in any comfort, and the softer the bed is, the more the pea that has rolled under it will dig into the side. 

Even in the happiest of fates, there should be pain and darkness—just as in the most beautiful woman, there are ugly insides. And ever still, existence is happiness, an infinite gift, a kiss of eternal spring.



There was a promise, that...

She woke up exactly five minutes before the pendulum clock struck seven times. Where was she, again?

The dream didn't want to let go of her, so she blissfully smiled, still enamored by it. It was an exceptionally good one. A truly rare occurrence.

That meant that the day must be special.

She couldn't remember the specifics of the dream—only a warm light that was washing up her pristine and delicate features. There was a sensation of great comfort, of a particular kind, that comes when you meet with an old friend and understand that everything is fine—a radiant feeling of realized hope, which meant that all struggles must be worth it in the end. 

Savoring the sensation, she opened her amethyst eyes and took in the sight of her spacious chambers, filled with various artifacts and mementos from her life. A birdsong was heard from outside an open balcony. The curtains were disturbed by a gentle and calm wind.

The embrace of the silken blanket slowly left her. Her hooves fit into the royal horseshoes. Her multicolored mane rested on her shoulders, and she raised her head with a small sigh. Ancient magic connected and took hold of her, and her ethereal mane had risen in a flow that was glimmering with the sparkles of countless stars. 

The tip of her horn shimmered with golden light. She stretched as the vinyl began to play. 

Many would assume that a ruler who has lived for centuries will eventually go stale and become accustomed to the few constants in their life. But with Celestia, the truth was she could never stop being warm and passionate about little things, even if "little things" were literally her subjects, so much smaller in stature. The problem with immortality in general is that it can't be truly comprehended, not by others or by those who happen to experience it. The conclusion that long-lived beings will inevitably grow detached and burdened by their lot in life is most likely made by those who are prone to stigmatization. 

Those who do not fear nor feel their old age just view living slightly differently. 

So she was candidly and eagerly loving every second of this new day.

Nevertheless, she would say, for example, that to keep troubling yourself over the deaths of loved ones would be incredibly selfish. It would be putting more value into the experience of their death than into gratitude for their life, and it would limit your own ability to grow.

And for now, that is all.

Bestowed by a destiny of cosmic magnitude, Celestia walked out to the balcony and checked up on her colorful flower garden. She yawned sweetly, looking over the city of Canterlot, soaked in pastel colors. There was a tinge of invigorating morning cold in the air. Her Sun, which was passively moving on the skyline to simulate normal behavior and rotations of celestial objects, was shining brightly in an incredible golden dawn.

Celestia looked over the composition of clouds, which were adorning her Sun like a precious jewel that needed to be complemented with a harmony of colors. She remarked to herself to send gratitude to the Cloudsdale's weather department. Pegasi were trying hard each time to make beautiful art for all of Equestria to behold. 

For all of Equestria and for her precious Canterlot... Princess spread her wings, looking down at the city. She couldn't help but smile.

With the music building up to its crescendo, Celestia lifted her horn and gave a little nudge to the Sun—enough for it to last in the sky for another cycle and spread warmth all over this world, generously and benevolently. 

"Good morning," she said quietly to the whole world, and stealing one last look at the distant stars above, she stepped back to get ready for the day. 

A ruler like her needs to always be on the clock, whether she likes it or not, but when she was finishing her morning routine of waking up, she had to gaze into the mirror, to remind herself, 

"Keep smiling." 





Celestia was never prone to theatrics and preferred practical and direct solutions to her problems. At least partially, it was an effect of the burden of her rule: she was a pony who thrived and enjoyed being amidst conflict, easily weaving in and out of the roles of an impartial observer and direct participant if the situation called for it. Her actions always had a certain cause and effect, which was always known to her.

That's why she was so comfortable when she was assaulted by various advisors and supplicants at the very exit of the room. 

She knew perfectly well how she appeared to them in these moments. Confident, tall, queenly, and surrounded by a few royal guards—one can never be too careful, of course. 

But all of it is just for a show.

All of it is a big show, and this part of it takes exactly ten minutes while she is leisurely walking down rich and brightly lit corridors, making markings on various lists, and replying to queries with a quiet, calm voice. Her little ponies go reverently silent each time she speaks and then continue relaying troubles and demands that need attention. Only the most pressing matters at this early hour. 

Every time she wanted to pull some practical joke on them, she had to make an effort to suppress the urge. But her smile always grew only more sincere because of such thoughts. 

There are only so many hours in a day, and there are so many ponies around. From all the hubbub of their voices, her own was cutting through with sharp precision:

"Push that conference to nine o'clock, no, ten. Their crops can wait that much, can they? Weather change isn't something that is planned to happen in a day."
"..."
"Well, what can Lord Page even say about that? Always the same. I do not care for those derogatory decisions and thinly veiled apologies; I want him to get his act together. Prepare a strongly worded letter for him about the whole fiasco and remind him about stopping with wine. I will expect it on my desk at three o'clock."
"..."
"Yes, a visit at four o'clock still holds. My appreciation for bringing this to my attention."
"..."
"That's quite alright. Obviously, that is a Friendship problem. We have a whole branch for these; it's called 'Princess Twilight' and her group. Again, let them send requests to Ponyville, not Canterlot. Anypony else have Friendship problems?"
"..."
"Oh, yes, that is Starflower’s doing. I already told her in person that her actions are highly unethical. My royal answer is still 'no', and if she continues to act on it, I will consider preparing a decree to ban her activities.”
"..."
"A petition? Well, I should have a window to receive this yak in two days; reply that I will have spare time. What is the Crystal Empire's stance on it?"
"..."
"An attack?"

Already at the door to her private study, she beheld an old captain of the border guard. He must've spent all night on his hooves. He bowed deeply under her gaze and didn't dare stand straight for awhile, not until Celestia smiled. "You may rise. Speak, and spare no detail."

"Your Grace, last night, the mountain-dwelling chimaera descended from the mountains and stole a filly from a remote village. Princess Luna was present afterwards, but she wasn't engaging the witnesses. I might risk to go beyond the protocol, but we ask you to spare more guards to strengthen our defenses." 

That was highly irregular. "My appreciation for bringing this to my attention. With my blessings, take this further to Commander Magnus. Relay to him that I will provide any aid if necessary." 

She glanced at all the other ponies, still thronging in the expectation of her audience, and stepped into the study. Her seneschal took over, and she still heard his well-delivered speech until thick walls drowned it out, "Her Excellency Princess Celestia will await all of you at designated hours in the Throne Room. Make an appointment with regards to a corresponding schedule, or have your request in written form. The estimated time for reviewing written requests is-..."

Celestia crossed the study room, granting a modest smile to Philomena, who forlornly occupied her bird cage like some forgotten thing. A short flick of magic opened its door, and the phoenix flew over to Celestia's back. The Princess caressed her, answering the demand for affection. 

On the other end of this spacious room, a door led deeper into what can be considered the backrooms of the castle. Several servant ponies were going on with their duties here, not ceasing to bow before royalty. After the first few hundred years of her rule, Princess Celestia pretty much ceased to restrain them from it—her visage alone was enough to inspire sacred dread in even the best of them, whether intently or not.

Taking note of the time, she walked down to the dining room, where a small table was served with a light breakfast. She unfolded a fresh newspaper, and her pet phoenix delicately leaned forward, reading as well.

"I wonder if anypony has seen Luna?" she casually pondered.

A servant smiled sheepishly, lingering nearby. "Uh, it seems Her Majesty Princess Luna was in the kitchen for the better part of an hour... Your Majesty, Your Grace..."

"Is she now? That's curious."

Celestia put a newspaper on the table and placed a fiery phoenix on top of the servant's head, who froze in wonder and awe. "Do not forget to turn pages for her, little one," she smiled assuredly.

She walked further into the backrooms. A kitchen, clean and cozy, stocked with food, was devoid of servants.

Luna was standing next to the oven and the cooker, wearing her royal cloak and a simple apron. She was kneading a piece of dark-shaded dough while humming a quiet, melancholic song. The kitchen was mostly lit by the ominous glow from an oven.

She turned towards Celestia, who was observing the scene in silence. Luna's look was startled, but it was adorable, almost as if she had been caught stealing from a cookie jar.

Celestia walked over to her. "Well, well, just look at this... Apparently, Princess Luna had scared everyone away from the kitchen? Why would she ever resort to such a common behavior?" Celestia clicked her tongue in mock disappointment and placed her wing on Luna's shoulders.

It felt like the younger sister had forgotten even how to breathe at this moment. Celestia looked into the pan on the cooker and hugged Luna tighter. "Oh, is it a pancake I see, dear Sister? How quaint. You've burned it." She looked at Luna with care. "Don't fret. Everything can be done well if it is done with some love."

Celestia took a place at the cooker, and Luna shuffled to the side, giving her space. She wasn't looking so great. Celestia let her magic flow, and the kitchen was filled with light from several candles as well as an opened window curtain.

"You had a rough night again, haven't you?" asked Celestia upbeat.

"You can say so," answered Luna wryly.

"Was it fruitful?"

Celestia had already helped herself to pour some tea, get an apple, and an ideally cut slice of pie, sending plates into a little round dance with a golden aura. Luna sat at a nearby table, hesitating.

Celestia looked at her mischievously, and took a bite of pie. With a pleasant hum, she sent it over to her sister. "Here, try it."

Luna looked at the pie as if she saw something like it for the first time in her life. "What's this?"

"Open wide, Moonlight!" Celestia laughed.

Princess nibbled on it, helping herself with her forelegs. Celestia graciously sat nearby, not forgetting about deftly operating her aura to keep making pancakes. The darker alicorn couldn't keep her gaze with her and looked away—just as a younger sibling would, ashamed of something.

A cup of green tea with a slice of ginger in it was neatly placed beside her. 

"Why are you brooding so much? You just aren't yourself today, little Sister," said Celestia playfully. "Was it so bad last night?"

Luna's eyes slightly widened. She was never in perfect control of her reactions—not unlike Celestia. "Nothing substantial, I assure thou."

"Oh please, spare me all these formalities. You can speak perfectly well without being archaic if you put your mind to it," Celestia winked to her sister, trying to sound not too haughty.

"Very well. I'll try for you, Celestia," replied Luna with a stiff expression, twiddling with a pie in her clumsy grasp. "This night's watch really took a toll on me, it seems."

"Even worse than usual. Well, what happened?" Celestia spoke with worry. "Is it something that I will hear about in the evening? It better not be. You know I do not like unhappy surprises." 

"I happened to be in a fight."

"Oh?"

That grabbed Celestia's attention. By nature of their celestial rule, the situations when alicorns were getting into battle themselves meant only one thing: all was dire. Equestria was a fairly peaceful magical realm, after all, especially in the last few centuries. So peaceful it was that the authority of a single living demigod was enough to scare away most possible conquerors by presence alone.

Of course, there were invaders who eventually went above and beyond the norm in their efforts. Solar Princess did not pity those who might try to attack Equestria. Legends of her past exploits were already being forgotten, and it was a fine ground to make some new ones, much better than before. 

She had a plan.

Meanwhile, Luna was choosing her words carefully. "I just so happened to notice a disturbance in the dream realm. Through it, I managed to pinpoint chimaera that was assaulting one of our villages. I was quick enough to beat back this... mongrel. I've saved a family of two before they were devoured, but I was too late to rescue their filly."

Celestia placed a fetlock over Luna's shoulder, looking intently into her eyes. She tensed up and gave an uncertain, almost fearful glance.

Celestia understood her turmoil. She made a delicate, small smile and backed away. "Don't be so hard on yourself. We wield great power, but that is also why our wrongdoings can be severe. Sometimes all the little ones just cannot be saved," she said with great sadness. Luna must've been so heartbroken about it...

"Yes... I... Yes, it seems so," her sister replied meekly, certainly looking like the part.

"I'm sorry." Celestia felt uneasy, knowing well the feeling of failing to save a pony. Her sister's distress was something she shared. "So..." She tried to be reassuring. "Was that invader a good fight for you? Why did it preyed on our subjects? Did you find a way to pacify it somehow?"

"Pacify?" Luna's smile was concerning. "I have dealt with them justly."

Celestia arched a brow, wordlessly demanding an explanation.

Luna obliged, with a glance from a pie, articulating with it like she was trying to make a point, "It was starving, but that is no excuse to attack our ponies. We do not parley with those who want to feed on us, or am I wrong?"

"We've talked about this and these urges to take a life, haven't we? Oh, Sister of mine..." With a sigh, Celestia pulled her into a hug again. "Do you remember that proverb, 'If an eye is taken for an eye, the whole world will go blind'? We must be more careful and to be able to see the alternatives. You could've banished them somehow, at least."

"Could I? I think I did just right," Luna grumped back with a faint but inscrutable smirk, and promptly stuffed that slice of pie into Celestia's mouth. 

The bite brought the taste of some strange flavor. Celestia winced in surprise. "Oh... Luna, dear, please be more careful. That's all I ask."

"Is everything alright, Sister?"

"Feels almost like I've bitten on my tongue," Celestia mumbled, processing a sudden numbness in her mouth.

Many tried to poison her before, and it felt oddly similar. Her gaze moved over to the tray with the leftover pie. She made another mental note to send someone to check up on the kitchen staff. 

Neither she nor Luna would be affected, but now Celestia worried for whom this pie was even intended. The little ponies of noble rank can sometimes be too carried away in their inner covert plays for power.

"You know, just like you've told me—it's all about eye for an eye, good Sister." Luna smiled.

After seeing her skulking all morning, Celestia was more joyous than ever. She pulled Luna closer, noting how she somehow lost weight. It only made her seem more adorable.

The strange sensation of numbness in the mouth went away just as easily as it came.

"Don't worry about last night, my duckling. I'll look into it and work out compensation for the parents of the deceased. How about that?"

"You're already making my day brighter... Why duckling?" Luna asked back with a hint of curiosity.

"I remembered how we were fillies ourselves." Celestia sighed. "You were always so small..."

"I bet you were lording over me even back then."

"Right you are," admitted Celestia. "I'm glad that we worked disputes over this out of our systems, aren't we?"

"As you say, Sister." Luna had an utterly disarming smile. "You know, our talks always make me feel better, even if they occur much less these days, it seems."

"Yes, we might need to do something about it. I will look into my schedule. Try to get a good rest today, it pains me to see you like that." She glanced at the clock on the wall and stood up hurriedly. "Oh, I've completely forgotten about everything with you... Sister, I am already late for my duties, I've got to canter out of here. And those pancakes are burning again, just look at that!"

Walking away, she swiped with her aura the tray with the pie and dropped it all into the trash can.





To be frank, Celestia never understood children completely. When you are an immortal alicorn, some norms inevitably deviate under the duress of time. Once she learned to fake a motherly approach until it became akin to her expertly crafted facade, it was her go-to tactic because it was just so effective. 

Ponies were born, grew up, withered, and died while seeing her act like their unchanging guardian. For their sake, she wouldn't want it any other way.

Her approach to grown-up ponies was the same as it was with colts and fillies, but the children were slightly more manageable and predictable. She enjoyed visiting them for a single day each month, answering their lively questions, and watching them change and grow over time.

These visits usually included one to a local orphanage and the other to a fresh batch of students enrolled in the School for Gifted Unicorns. She kept an especially keen eye on the students. Sadly, they rarely genuinely impressed her, but when they did, the result each time was truly remarkable. 

Today, however, she was with orphanage kids. At exactly four o'clock, she walked slowly through the sunlit park with them. Light danced on her golden regal jewelry. She looked like she shone from inside, all motherly and pleasant, with unfurled wings to grant little ponies a scant shadow in her presence.

Each one of them was bestowed with attention filled with uttermost care. The bystanders were always stopping nearby to appreciate the procession. Some of them were engaging in reminiscence about their similar walks with the ruler of Equestria.

She knew that these moments would be forever imprinted in the ponies' very beings, so the Sun always shone brightly on this day, and the weather was always pleasant. Today, she was an inspiration, a living idea, and not some ruler that existed elsewhere, but an embodiment of virtue.

It's only logical, though, that kids rarely surprised her with their questions and antics. Between all the showings of crayon drawings of her, crudely constructed poems and other expressions of love, or queries like "how much do you care about us", "how did you become an alicorn" and "when do I receive a cutie mark", there wasn't anything that she wasn't prepared for. Anyway, Celestia enjoyed every opportunity to impart her teachings to young ponies.

But one little colt that she hadn't seen before was special with his questioning. 

"Why aren't you married?" at first he asked curiously,

To that, Celestia replied naturally, with a content smile, "I've never fallen in love with any stallion, nor was there any to spark my interest. Now my heart belongs only to Equestria, and is shared among all my subjects equally." 

The child wasn't satisfied. "What about Princess Luna?"

Celestia patiently replied, "I love my Sister dearly. We have an unbreakable bond as co-rulers and alicorns, and a duty to watch over the sky, over the lands beneath, over the dreams, and over the little foals like you, my precious pony."

"Why don't you marry her?"

Celestia couldn't help but chuckle, and most of foals around her laughed with her too. The child beamed somewhat bashfully. He was too young to remember Nightmare Moon as a real alicorn, let alone know about her banishment and connection to Luna. 

So, that's what a new generation would think nowadays? 

When the laughter died out, she leisurely began, "See, my little pony, the thing is..." and then hesitated, thinking. 

She cleared her throat and then walked slower, glancing at other kids. They were all curious about her answer now. 

"Though your question is valid and understandable, she is my sibling, little one. You wouldn't marry your sibling, this goes against nature's law," she explained, even though her memory quickly brought up a dozen cases of such incestual matrimony between nobility and royalty, all long in the past.

"But you will be together forever. And you love her, you said so yourself."

"It isn't something that I would like to discuss, but I thank you for your question. It's a curious thought to think about, but it's only a thought, a fantasy, and nothing more," she said earnestly, but with almost palpable humility in her voice, hoping that it would be enough to satisfy a child.

It seemed to be. She turned to others, but now it lingered in her mind.





After all the hard work she's done and all the social meetings and events, she was laying in bed and ready to sleep, and it was still lingering.

How obnoxious.

It isn't like the idea was even new to her. A long life leaves room for the exploration of all kinds of thoughts and desires. But now, when she saw Luna in the kitchen in the morning and realized how affectionate she felt, she couldn't stop replaying in her mind all the conversations they had, down to the last syllable. She remembered how utterly alone she felt for the longest time.

"I think that something had changed," she thought to herself.

Not between them, but with her. There was a time when such thoughts would just be cast away instantly and wouldn't impede her at all. A child asked something ludicrous, as simple as that. Children, or ponies in general, are often like that, aren't they? She has much more pressing concerns, far more befitting her standing and discipline. Taxes, decrees, and reforms—all in all, a labor of love for a radiant ruler such as her.

She buried herself deeper into pillows, wrapping her mind all around these ideas. The distraction worked barely, and soon the thoughts began to flood her anew. Luna was surely desensitized to her presence, they almost needed to begin their relationship anew since her return… Celestia could say that in the past years she learned about Luna and her feelings much more than ever before her banishment.

And now she knew how Luna always struggles with feelings...

Celestia felt her heart sink as she looked at the faraway Moon shining in the night sky. 

They might need to talk.





Dreams were unpleasant. She hardly even slept, tossing and turning in sweat.

Something was wrong.

In the dreamscape, through flashes of her visions, she saw Luna somewhere near but always beyond her reach. Was it clairvoyance? A nightmare? 

Celestia lived without nightmares for so long that she forgot how to deal with them.





She woke up listening to how the clock struck.

Pushing against the feather bed, she rose with a slight groan. She felt her body tinge, reconnecting with a power unknown to most mortals, and then looked towards the vinyl in the corner. Music began to play. 

What she experienced wasn't an awful feeling, but it wasn't a good one either. Celestia stepped into horseshoes, going on with the normal routine. The raising of the Sun and looking over Canterlot was always an invigorating act, washing away all trepidation and filling her with firmness. The dawn inspired in her a new, gentle smile, with which she looked back at the mirror inside her chambers.

She was satisfied with what she had seen—how she was standing there on a balcony, surrounded by flowers. It was exactly how she wished to be seen, and it was exactly who she was.

The day was beginning strong, and after all the necessary meetings with aides and planning, she walked into the dining room in high spirits. Luna wasn't there after her night shift. Instead, a dish with a pile of freshly cooked pancakes was placed on a familiar small table, with the newspaper for today at the side.

On every other day, it would be a most welcoming sight for Solar Princess: an extra sign of attention from her beloved sister, what's not to like? But now, inspecting a small note left with the dish, she couldn't shake off her anxious feel. 

Hornwriting in modern Ponish looked to be done diligently but was atrocious nonetheless.



Done with love, as you advised me. I will see you at duskfall. Luna ♡







The luxurious bath was decorated with the finest fabrics and trims and filled with warm, bubbling water. It was the ultimate place of respite, perfect for relaxation and unwinding after a long day. Rich furniture was placed here, and by night it was always lit with candles and flickering torches. 

It was a place of pure indulgence and luxury, perfectly suited to the tastes and sensibilities of any royal. Artisans and designers went far above and beyond here. Quite a few craftsponies, marked with special talents and powers, clashed over it, trying to make it the finest and most splendorous in all of Equestria. Fates were trampled down in the rush to complete this project because the masters considered the end result to be their masterpiece, and now shifts of several ponies were required to maintain the baths, all ready to come at the call—not speaking about the guards, strategically placed at the exits.

None of both Royal Sisters cared about the result. The only thing that Celestia specifically requested was a window wide enough for a good view over the skyline. And, since Sisters were the only ones who usually visited the place, most of the time it remained without their attention.

That evening, it was filled with the light of dusk. Celestia desired to throw off gnawing melancholy. She was completely still, keeping her wings unfurled and letting her mane flow with the water. Her eyes were trained upwards at the brightly lit sky, rich with colors.

No tasks and no troubles were there to gnaw at her. The passage of time went on especially slowly, but she always made an effort to keep track of it in her mind. 

She wanted to think about something other than Luna. But everything felt so mundane and trivial now, compared with the perspective of meeting up with her again, that Celestia was almost in awe of how easily she could succumb to trepidation.

Luna meant almost everything to Celestia.

She heard doors open and shifted her gaze. Her socialite training, instilled over centuries, prevented her from frowning or expressing joy, so she just settled on a pleasant confusion. Celestia took a moment to take in Luna's visage, noting her powerful legs and the silvery garb. The stars that adorned her nocturnal mane shone especially brightly. 

Her striking green eyes moved over to Celestia. Their gazes locked.

"Am I intruding, Sister?" Luna asked in her strident, stentorian voice, which could affect any pony.

"Not at all." Celestia smiled warmly, maintaining her elegance. She shifted her eyes to her servants. "Please, you can relieve us for the evening. My thanks."  

Luna waited for them to leave, and only then settled in the warm water at the opposite corner. She slowly relaxed with a content sigh, half-closing her eyes. Celestia watched closely how Luna's lips curled up in a smile for a second, and then how this smile immediately dissipated when she looked back again. "Celestia. Looking lovely as always," she said after a momentary pause. 

"So are you, my dear."

"My, what a respite this place is... I hope your day is treating you well, and your visit here was unwarranted." 

Celestia slightly pursed her lips, cocking her head to the side. "Sister, why are you here at this hour?"

Luna smiled, repeating the movement. She looked more lively than usual—she managed to have a good sleep, no doubt. "I'll be honest, Sister dear, I wanted to check up on you, that is all. But it is a fine start for a night, is it not?... To see you in all your glory and splendor."

"I didn't know you enjoyed looking at me that much," Celestia gave off a short, courteous laugh and looked wistfully at the window. "Do you remember when we were still young? My mind often returns to those days, to all the little adventures we shared when this land was still unexplored and needed to be tamed."

"I do remember." Luna's voice was cautious. "All these politics and power plays, hunting monsters and dealing with those who could threaten our regime ourselves, not by throwing at them our proteges... Don't you want to do something like that once again?"

"You know me well, my Moonlight, but no. I'd take hard-earned stability over unpredictability and struggle, because stability is all that matters in the end."

Luna looked dissatisfied somehow. "What is on your mind now?" she asked. "What exactly do you remember so fondly? Weave the tale."

"We were on this foraging expedition for magical artifacts once. A few wrong turns in cavern systems underneath what would be today's Canterlot forced us to split. Our search led us in different directions, since I wanted to stay closer to the surface, while you—well, you always were more friendly with the dark."

"Those caverns and their reflective surfaces fascinate me to this day..." Luna blazed her teeth in a wistful smile. "A place rich with the most treacherous of magic."

"So, we knew that we would find each other no matter what, and I suppose our actions were motivated by some petty argument back then. You were holding a grudge over some of my decisions, and I wanted to be more liberal with where I could take our fledgling nation." Celestia smiled. "We knew almost nothing of the Harmony as it is today, and I thought that crystals in the cavern could become great bargaining chips for the purposes of uniting pony tribes and enticing them into working together. And now, the capital of our great realm is built upon the very same caverns. Don't you find some irony in it?"

"I believe those crystals were sufficiently valuable to export and sell to warrant such a decision and compensate for the construction of a city. Also, the place is feasible; I'll give you that." 

"I quickly regretted our decision to split, anyway. I never felt confident enough underground, even though I'd wanted to look otherwise. These wings are meant to soar, not to walk around with them in pitch-black darkness and listen to distant noises," Celestia chuckled. "In any rate, I've tried to return on a path where you would be, but instead somehow ended up right amidst sleeping cockatrices."

Luna leaned closer, clearly intrigued.

"I was proud, even arrogant, back then," continued the Solar Princess, "but cockatrices were also far more primal and dangerous than they are nowadays, after years of careful selection and controlling the population. That is a general take on wildlife and nature in itself: everything in it inherently wants to kill a pony. I'm not entirely sure, but some of those cockatrices of yore might've been even intelligent."

"That means that the current strain of cockatrices, you might say, was non-directly created by you?" Luna raised a brow, smiling. "That might explain why I so often see them in the wild around Canterlot. That is very fascinating, good Sister."

"Indeed. I needed to hide my light there and try to walk as quietly as possible, which is not an easy task when you have hooves, and underneath you is a stone floor." Celestia laughed. "I was so afraid! I believe I can't ever look at anything resembling a chicken since then. Their eyes, their beaks... It all terrified me to a core, and I needed to act as fast as equinely possible. But, quite soon, I tripped over the tail of one, and then a real nightmare began.

"They all launched at me, but they did not try to just gaze me into stone; no, no—they had a bite. I was smaller back then, so I managed to stuff myself into some gap and was bucking for the life of me any of those who tried to reach me."

With a laugh, Celestia repeated the motion from memory, making a splash. Luna snorted; she was invested now. "And? What happened next?"

"Why, dear Sister, you happened of course. Long story short, I've heard your voice somewhere from the back of a cave, and you weren't slouchy with your expressions, not at all. I believe it was..." Celestia paused, recollecting. "Ye, cockbucking flops of evolutionary mistakes! Get away from my big Sister! And then you swooped in and jammed your horn right into the eye socket of the biggest one."

Luna was looking smug. "That is magnificent."

"That gave me an opening. We immediately flew high up and launched beams at these monsters until they ran away or stopped moving. I believe I haven't had fun like that in years." Celestia smiled with pink on her cheeks. "It all was so.. vindicating. And you got quite a haul for us both."

"I'd imagine." Luna sighed. "But it's not like that at all now."

"No," replied Celestia slowly, now not smiling. "Not at all."

They were silent for some time, looking at each other.

"Luna, I understand what you are trying to do, and why you've come here."

"Please, enlighten me, Sister."

"You think that you have developed feelings for me," said Celestia calmly. She needed to exercise some self-control to not sound accusatory.

Luna was silent, which meant that the Solar Princess guessed correctly.

"You even seem to have instructed some child to speak to me about our possible... union," continued Princess, sober and confident. "How did you do it? I guess you've implanted it into his dreams. That doesn't matter. Luna, understand that for me, this isn't a bad feeling. It's just your affection. You love me, yes, but there is nothing more to it." 

She was still silent.

"You are fond of me." Celestia slightly shifted her forelegs below the water. "That is fine. That is... good. I appreciate you too, very much! Why, I adore you, Sister. You were always by my side, and the story I've told is the rawest example of how I rely on your support. I want to spend an eternity with you, and only you, and I know that you are always nearby, ready to pull me from the darkness, and I can do the same for you. You know that I did." Celestia tried to maintain a smile. "But, when you raise the topic of marriage... You must understand that this is inappropriate. This is not how I see you..."

A strained silence followed.

"How do you see me, Celestia?" Luna eventually responded, quiet and morose.

Celestia sharply inhaled. Luna's eyes were wet. Trails of tears glistened on her muzzle.

It was disheartening... Celestia felt truly sick. Her words stuck in her throat. She tried to reach out to console, but her sister recoiled from the touch.

It hurt.

"You still think of me as a monster, do you?" Luna whispered with a hiss.

"No!" Celestia was genuinely startled. "No, you don't understand, I've given you my friendship, we sisters, confidants, even more, but we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders! This isn't something that can be taken lightly... It is not..."

"You do not believe me." Luna jerked her head up, fixing her with accusatory glare. "Well, I can't conceal what I feel anymore. I do not want to see you with anyone else, and I do not want to be alone no longer."

"How can you speak like that?..." Celestia was completely flabbergasted, which happened to her rather seldom, if ever.

"You always leave me alone. That's just who you are." Luna hissed cruel, twisted words. "There is no love to speak of, as you will always place yourself first!"

"You know that this is not true!" She did not like how weak her own voice sounded. "Moonlight, please do not speak to me like that! What I do, I strive to do for the good of all."

"No, Celestia." Luna raised her tear-filled eyes, giving a direct, accusatory look. "You hate me." 

The alicorn tried again to reach for her, whispering, "No, this is not right...", but her sister had already stood from the water.

The feeling of impending doom engulfed Celestia. Her horn began to shine from all her emotions, and she clenched her jaw. All of a sudden, her heart was squeezed by a cold grip. She just couldn't withstand how eerie and beautiful Luna was before her sight. Waning sunlight was playing off her wet flanks and back.

Celestia never really noticed before how much she had grown, actually. How regal she is. How much poise emanated from her little sister, wounded by the conversation. When she stroked back a glance with watered eyes, Celestia felt not her but herself to be a monster. Irredeemable. Pathetic. Miserable.

Deeply ashamed by all of this, she submerged in the water, trying in vain to hide her reddened face. She felt how her heart was throbbing madly. And Luna, as if she perfectly understood the inner turmoil of her older sister, wasn't in any rush to leave. Her horn faintly and colorlessly shimmered. Her aura grabbed a towel, and she slowly moved it across her back, along those petite and gentle curves.

Celestia realized that she was withholding breath. 

Lust, spreading from the lower abdomen, was pompous and infectious. Celestia again nervously shifted her legs, trembling, not understanding what was going on with her. Why, after all these years, is she feeling this right here, right now? It had never been so vivid. Never with any other mare or stallion in all her long, long life.

Maybe because it was meant to be?

Maybe it's just their fate?

After everything?

What a cruel joke...

She pulled a low, long, quiet whinny.

Luna moved the towel between her legs now, caressing her inner thighs with it. Her celestial tail slightly shifted to the side... 

Celestia couldn't watch any further. She felt so degraded and awful. She shrank to a pathetic primal creature, hugging herself under the water, averting her gaze. She simply wanted it all to already end.

"Is everything alright, Sister?" Luna asked with almost mocking concern.

"Please, don't speak to me," she thought. Celestia feared for her, for what will happen if they both will lose control now. For Equestria, she must to be stronger than that. "Yes, it's fine," Celestia smiled, still avoiding eye contact.

At least she could still smile like usual, with an assuring, but ultimately fake, confidence.





How did she go from being regal and confident to a mare who is vulnerable and confused?

Luna had been gone for some time, but Celestia was still in the water, looking blankly at the darkened sky. Her mind was a whirlpool of raw emotions that she didn't even knew she had.

The forbidden attracts, it seems. It entrances. And now, everything felt as if balked by this thought...

Why did she hurt her again?

It isn't right...

Celestia made an effort to get out of the water, but then she noticed the towel left lying on the floor.

That towel. It was smelling like Luna.

Celestia felt awful, sick.

Her head was spinning.

Her mind went numb.

She was remembering how Luna was moving it down, wiping herself. She pulled the towel closer to her face, trembling in anticipation and feeling dryness in her mouth.

"..." 

She tossed the towel into the pool and pressed a foreleg against the temple. "Focus, Celestia. It isn't you. It isn't right."

Then gulped, licked her lips, and proceeded with a few small breathing exercises.

"Everything is going to be better."

She looked at the window and watched how the Moon already slowly and steadily crept upwards, then turned away. Even looking at it was too painful.

It was almost like a thousand years ago, only somehow even worse.

"Is this what you want, Antiquity?"