//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Arrival 
// Story: Oldnew Luna: After the Dawn 
// by arandompenguin 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 4:

“Tia?” Luna asked in shock, she was expecting some Royal Guards, maybe even a couple of Lunar Stallions, certainly not her own sister in the flesh though.
“May I come in?” Celestia asked politely. Luna stepped back and opened the door with a blush, she only just realised she was blocking her sister’s entrance. “Thank you.” She continued formally, seeming for all the world the benevolent ruler of a kingdom.

Twilight looked up from the floor which she was previously staring at to see her former mentor walking in.
“Celestia?” Twilight asked in much the same slightly incredulous tone Luna had.
“Yes.” Princess Celestia stated simply with a smile. “Were you expecting somepony else?”
“Well, I was kinda expecting some guards.” Twilight replied honestly. Celestia waved to the doorway.
“Oh I brought guards; I just came along myself too.” She told the unicorn.

At the entrance Luna was unsure whether to leave to door open for the guards or to close it; she compromised and left it fractionally open.
“So, why are you here?” Luna asked, “Not that I don’t want you to be here.” She added hurriedly, but the Sun Princess just gave a small regal laugh.
“My sister and my best friend are moving home, why wouldn’t I come to help? I managed to clear a few hours or so to come over here and help you move everything.”

Celestia was trying to pass it off like it was nothing, but all three of them here knew just how busy Celestia was, and how hard it was to find some free time in her schedule. Twilight and Luna could also tell Celestia was enthusiastic about all this, even though she was obviously trying to hide it. Twilight and Luna gave each other a glance as Celestia looked over the boxes they had piled up in the library. In that moment they both realised just how lonely Celestia must be on her own in the castle, and how much she longed for company. 
‘She should really find somepony for herself.’ Twilight thought, sending it out across their magical link.
‘I... I don’t think that would be in her best interests.’ Luna replied furtively.
‘What do you mean?’ Twilight asked.
‘I promise I will explain later, but now is not the time.’ Luna thought, cutting off the conversation. Twilight wasn’t placated and was about to reply when Celestia called them over.

“Are you both ready?” She asked them once they stood beside her, they nodded simultaneously. Celestia lifted the boxes with her golden magic and carried them towards the door. Luna darted forwards to open it for her; Celestia floated the containers through one by one to be met by a group of four guards. They must have been used to working together; they almost acted like one individual, each passing on boxes to the next to reach the carriage before stacking them efficiently. The carriage was not the same one that Twilight and Luna rode on trips between Canterlot and Ponyville; it was a lot larger and chunkier, with enough space in the back to hold all of their possessions and more.

Twilight and Luna stood by the entrance to the library as the effort continued, both certain that they would only make things harder if they tried to help out.
“So what did you mean by ‘it would not be in her interests’?” Twilight continued on from their mental conversation, still curious and slightly frustrated. Luna shook her head sadly.
“I’ll tell you later.” Luna told her. Twilight was hurt by the words but was trying not to show it, she thought they didn’t keep secrets from each other. Luna noticed this a gently bopped Twilight on her shoulder. “Hey, I will tell you. It’s just that this neither the time nor the place to be talking about things like that.” Luna told her, there was something in her tone that shut Twilight up, it was obviously something important, and it would be revealed in time. No matter how impatient Twilight was, and she was very much so, she would have to wait.

“Done.” The guard closest to them stated in their usual deadpan manner. Celestia gave them a nod of satisfaction and sat herself down onto one of the back seats of the large carriage. Twilight and Luna took one last glance back at their home before climbing into the chariot and sitting themselves down beside Celestia so that Twilight was in the middle. The guards saluted smartly in practised unison and took up their positions at the front of the chariot.

As the chariot took off and slowly began to build up speed Twilight and Luna surveyed the library that they had lived in until it was a mere speck in the distance. All the while Celestia was watching them carefully, judging their emotions and how best to talk to them. Eventually she decided that however much she wished to talk to somepony apart from her guards or subjects, to a friend, she would have to wait until they reached Canterlot Castle. It was obvious to her that both Twilight and Luna wished to be left to their thoughts. Even though the two were leaning comfortably on each other, they stayed silent and absorbed in their own ideas. Celestia instead gave a mental sigh and looked to the horizon, waiting to spot her castle.





The castle loomed before them, the spires and battlements now clear against the backdrop of the mountain. Luna stirred slightly at the sight of her old, soon to be new, home. The sun had now finished its ascent into the sky and hung proudly above them, casting its rays across the land and shining bright in the sky. Luna glanced at it, soon she would have to be working with her sister to help raise and lower the sun and moon. Notice the ‘help’; she hoped to explain to Twilight soon how she and Celestia could control such large celestial bodies, and show her the room too. However, she knew that they would probably have to settle down and talk some things out with her sister before they could explore. 

The chariot starting to lower, coming in to land in the courtyard. With refined ease, the piloting pony touched down on the ground with the slightest of bumps and came to a stop. He obviously wasn’t pleased though as his mouth tightened somewhat and he bit his lip. All other ponies involved though had no problems and swiftly evacuated the carriage, stepping out onto the grass beneath them. The courtyard was mostly empty, the large majority of the ponies that may be in there busy whilst Celestia was away. Those that were present for their welcoming bowed respectfully for the princesses, heads lowered and forelegs bent to the ground. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both gestured for them to rise at the same time, the two sisters standing regally as their subjects went back about their business.

“Come on, follow me to your room, the guards will bring your luggage.” Celestia said, the other mares obediently followed in her wake, knowing that Celestia wanted to talk things through with them. They didn’t mind though, there was still a few things they wanted to confer with Celestia too. As she led them through the corridors of the castle, Twilight thought back to last night’s dream, wondering what it was that was in that circular room. It wasn’t long before they arrived at the familiar door to Luna’s, and now Twilight’s, bedroom. Celestia opened the doors for them using her magic, allowing them to step in first before closing the door behind her.

The curtains were open and the noon day sun was shining in, illuminating the room. The first thing that Twilight noticed was that the bed which Twilight had slept in (occasionally) whilst she was here to help Luna was gone, leaving just Luna’s bed to sleep on. Not that she minded, in fact that was exactly what she had asked for. Luna looked around the room with a faint smile on her face that was tinged with sadness, though she it felt good to finally be back where she rightfully belonged by birth and by right, she couldn’t help but long for the simpler times she had for just a short few years. As always though, Luna’s natural sense of duty overrode her personal feelings and subdued them for now, telling her that now that she was back she must focus on her work.

“I don’t suppose you two were nocturnal when you lived in Ponyville?” Princess Celestia asked rhetorically, “I think that maybe you should get a few hours sleep to try and get back into that rhythm. After our talk of course.” Though Celestia meant it as friendly advice, but her words brought home the reality that they weren’t living in Ponyville any longer, and from now on things would be different once more. Even if they had grown up and lived in Canterlot for the majority of their respective lives, they would have to try and adapt to their oldnew environment once more. Luna and Twilight nodded in reply to Celestia.

As Twilight and Luna sat themselves on their bed and Celestia pulled a chair over, Twilight remembered the talk they had had two years prior, about magical links and events. Once again, it was Celestia that started everything off.
“So, I guess I should start by welcoming you both back to the castle. This here is just a little informal welcome between friends, but we really should have a proper welcome for the return of the Moon Princess and her marefriend, unless of course you don’t wish for that to be mentioned?” Celestia left that hanging, waiting for a reply. Twilight and Luna looked at each other, mentally debating whether they should or not, from the outside it looked they were just frowning slightly at each other. Celestia sat there looking between them as if she could hear what they were saying.

Eventually they turned back to the white alicorn, an answer ready.
“Yes. We think it would be best that it was mentioned at the welcoming, they need to find out as soon as possible or the gossip with be much, much worse than the reality.” Luna told her sister, who nodded in reply, but Luna wasn’t done yet. “However, we also think that we should delay that welcome back until we have sorted things out and are settled in, there are a fair number of things we need to do before the public find out we’re here. Oh, and we just wanted to know whether it would be okay if Twilight worked with me in Night Court? It’s just that she wouldn’t really have anything to do otherwise, I’ll make sure we continue the lessons though.” Luna finished, she sounded like a foal trying to reason with their parents why they should be allowed a certain toy. An immaturity that was at odds with her years.

Celestia took in her sister’s words, thinking through options in an attempt to find out the best solution. A practice that comes with being the ruler of a kingdom for millennia.
“I don’t see why not, to everything you said. I can see why you might want to settle in a bit before jumping in, and I was wondering what Twilight planned on doing in Canterlot. I’m glad you’ve thought things through.” Celestia replied, still thinking through things, checking that she had considered all possible outcomes of their actions. She was the sort of pony that likes to make sure there is next to no risk of an action failing before following through with said action. Twilight and Luna smiled, their plans seeming to come to fruition.

Celestia couldn’t help but let out a smile in return, there was something about the couple that made her long for somepony of her own, but she knew that wasn’t something she could do, nor was it something Luna should do either, but she wasn’t going to stop her, she knew the ramifications but she had made up her mind nonetheless.
“Right. Well, I believe that is most major things sorted, I’ll leave you two to your slumber.” Celestia told them, standing to her hooves and moving towards the door. Twilight and Luna bade her farewell. At the door Celestia stopped and turned back to face them.
“And just so you know, it is really great to have you two back again.” Celestia said with another smile before departing.

Once Celestia had left Twilight looked at the blue alicorn.
“So...” Twilight said, Luna knew that she wanted answers and she knew that she had promised to give them.
“Fine. I will tell you but you have to promise not to hate me.” Luna told Twilight, completely serious. Twilight looked confused.
“What? I can’t hate you.” Twilight replied, Luna gave a slight nod, biting her lip as she did.
“Yeah. I know, it’s just that...” Luna sighed, “It’s just that I don’t want you thinking badly of me for doing what I did.”
“What did you do?” Twilight tried to think of something Luna might have done that would require fear like this.
“You know Celestia loves this kingdom and its subjects?” Luna asked, Twilight dutifully nodded, not sure where this was going, “You know she would do whatever it takes to protect it?” Another nod. “Well, the best way she can protect it is to continue to rule over it, to keep it safe with herself.

“As you know, alicorns are almost immortal. They live for significant periods of time, almost immune to any disease and can handle a lot more physically. However, there is something that breaks this cycle.” Luna took a deep breath before continuing. “There is but one known thing that has the ability to stop an alicorn from doing everything I just listed. Love.” Luna finished, averting her gaze from Twilight shamefully.
“You mean...” Twilight began, struggling to fathom the connotation of Luna’s words, but she knew what Twilight was trying to ask.
“Yes. The reason Celestia doesn't allow herself to find a mate is because then she would live just as long as their mate. They would die together in fact. This is something she obviously doesn't want to happen if she’s to look after a kingdom for millennia to come.
“You?” Twilight asked, still slightly dazed, Luna nodded.
“Yes, I forfeited them the day I realised how I felt about you. But you know what? If given the choice, there would be no doubt that I would do it again.” Luna replied firmly, now looking straight into Twilight’s eyes with conviction.

Luna said the words she feared to say for two years now.
“I love you Twilight.”
“I love you too Luna.” Twilight replied without hesitation.
“Please don’t hate me.” Luna asked fearfully.
“I could never hate you.” The truth. Twilight drew Luna in.