The day was perfect, with the sky above a clear, endless blue on the journey from Canterlot. The only clouds in sight hugged the distant Foal Mountain, way beyond where anyone would bother looking on such a gorgeous day. Everything seemed to glow a bit brighter, feel a bit warmer, like the kind of day that could make anyone forget their troubles.
Under a sky so clear it seemed endless, painted in shades of the deepest blue, the sun held court. A fiery monarch, it bathed the world below in its glow. Its light played across vast fields of wheat, turning them into a sea of gold that stretched to the horizon. These golden waves swayed in a graceful dance, choreographed by the gentle whispers of a summer breeze.
Amongst this golden sea, small red and white cottages akin to tiny vessels afloat among the sea of wheat. To the south expanse, on the far-off horizon, verdant woodlands encircled the base of Foal Mountain, their foliage a deep, lush embrace against the earth. Serene rivers snaked through the pastoral expanse, their waters shimmering like liquid crystal under the sun's tender gaze, carving sinuous trails through the verdant and golden quilt that was the countryside.
Carving a path through the golden sea, a train hastened forth, its steely sinews humming a rhythmic tune as it cleaved through the countryside. Its passage stirred the still air, sending ripples across the land around.
The train, grand in stature, bore a mauve purple facade, its hull adorned with broad golden lines that waltzed gracefully upon itself, weaving a captivating pattern. Affixed at its forefront was a grandiose golden Sun.
In the parade of graceful wagons that followed, one giant stood out—a central wagon, majestic and grand, dwarfing its companions. It gleamed with an iridescent purple lustre, its metal infused with magic skin caressed by the sun's rays, casting reflections where gold and violet performed a delicate duet. Its flanks were decorated with elaborate bronze leaf filigree and a golden sun on each side , a bespoke sanctuary for the trio of ponies and the tiny drake ensconced in its royal interior.
"Luna... is everything alright?" a gentle, soothing voice inquired from her side once more.
Luna's ears caught the tender inquiry, tempting her to swivel around and respond, yet a ghostly whisper of a memory, elusive yet nagging, kept her gaze tethered to the spectacle outside. As she scanned the distant mountains across the endless golden sea, her thought was abruptly severed. Instead, her gaze re-fell upon the window before her, the world outside now a blurry dance of colours.
The vibrant, lively blur outside was momentarily disrupted by a sombre blue silhouette, her own reflection. Before she could dive deeper into the void of her own eyes, another voice, tender and young, almost childlike, grazed her ear, whispering with as little breath as possible, "Twilight, I think we should do something, sh- princess hasn't moved or even blinked for a long while now, this isn’t good, right?" The whisper would be concealed from an ordinary pony, but the ones ears it meant to reach, but Luna was different…
‘Just a little longer, focus, you've seen this before. What was it? The mountains, the sky, the fields, they all were a part of... of what? Is it this particular place? or…’
Luna heard movement followed by a soft hoof touching her gently on her side. Though the touch was tender, it was unanticipated to happen so quickly. Perhaps a moment later and she would be ready, but oh well.
Luna slightly jerked upright in a quick motion, her wings half-unfurled, as she turned to face the intruder encroaching upon her personal space and freedom of thought.
Turning she gazed upon a luxurious cabin with large white couches and a silver table, in this space she met the gaze of another who stood before her. Cadence, grace embodied, with her long, flowing mane of soft pink, purple, and gold, elegantly draping over her light pink coat. Her tiara glinted softly in the daylight streaming through the window, as her purple eyes fixed on Luna's blue teal eyes, harbouring an expression of slight shock at Luna's unexpected movement. Luna folded her wings neatly by her sides.
“Mi am're cadenza, our apologies f'r our reaction, we has't been too concentrat'd on… reviewing the agricultural state of Ponyville” Luna said softly “Yond and the functionality of this machine, ‘train’ we w're toldeth t is named?”
"Yes, it is indeed called a train Luna," she said, her expression still carrying a trace of shock tinged with worry. "And this isn't Ponyville—we passed it three hours ago. Remember? That's when we picked up Twilight, Spike and her friends?"
‘Elements of harmony, they are here?’
Cadence gestured gracefully with a wave of her wing, directing Luna's gaze to the opposite end of the cabin, where two figures were seated in attention on a plush sofa just like the one Luna was sitting: Twilight, the purple unicorn with her unmistakable indigo mane, and Spike, the small purple and green dragon, Twilight's faithful companion. The duo was engaged in observing the conversation before them without making unnecessary sounds, Twilight even seems attempting to hold her breath in order to reduce her already absent noise pollution.
'five hours? this can’t be right? they just boarded with her friends after making that silly dance with Cadenza, or maybe it was so long ago? focus Luna! don’t show weakness!'
Cadence's words, soft yet laden with concern, redirected Luna's gaze outward, through the window to the expansive Golden Fields. "We are actually now passing 'Golden Fields'," Cadence murmured, her gaze lingering on the vibrant landscape, "we're near Manehattan, hopefully, we will be there in two hours”
"Oh," Luna said, her voice barely above a hush,
Cadence's voice held a thread of light amusement as she regarded Luna with a soft, empathetic gaze. "And, Luna," she began anew, locking her gaze with the confused mare, "I thought we agreed to use our first names, with no titles and without 'the royal we’? I know it's hard for such a… change and—"
"We... I thank thee, Cadence," Luna interrupted. She attempted to smile, but even without a mirror, she knew it appeared insincere and perhaps pathetic in her opinion. "I shall endeavour to do so".
‘Why is it so hard, just smile, ti- Celestia always does it, why can’t I do it’
"Princess Luna, my apologies," Twilight finally spoke up after a lengthy silence, her nervousness evident. Her gaze couldn't fixate on either Luna or Cadence as she sought encouragement and acceptance to begin her conversation. After a quick smile from Cadance, she continued with a nervous smile herself, "But I also want to say... it might be, but it doesn't necessarily mean it is, and probably, of course, if you should choose to prefer the old Equestrian, that will not be an issue. On the other hoof…" Twilight continued murmuring, her eyes now running more wild in an attempt to grasp her initial thought, but before she could continue ,Spike chimed in, helping to clarify "What Twilight is trying to say, Princess, is that most ponies will have trouble understanding you when you speak."
Luna understood the shifting tides of language and how centuries of cultural evolution and technological progress could transform communications. At the end of it all … ‘its not like I have a choice to have my old life back after all ’.
"I... am... aware," Luna started, her delivery deliberating, each word weighed with careful consideration. She grappled with her diction, striving not to entwine the regal cadences of Royal Everfree manner with the vernacular thriving among the common folk back in her day. 'Peasant Speech,' as certain nobility disdainfully referred to it before, had indeed permeated Equestria during her years of absence.
"I may require… additional time to acclimate to the peas—" Luna caught herself with swift precision, hoping her swift correction went unnoticed, "—vernacular commonly used today. Nevertheless, I am thankful, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike the drake, for your thoughtful insights." She concluded her acknowledgement with a modest bow.
"Oh, no need to worry, Princess! We're here to help," Twilight said hastily, her words a nervous jumble. "We understand it's hard... or actually, we don’t since you know (nervous laugh) ... but—" Her halting attempt at reassurance was interrupted by Cadence, who stepped forward and gently draped her wing over Twilight in a comforting gesture. Turning to face Luna with a warm smile, she said, "We're all here to help you up Luna, and we're ready to help you get back on... track." Cadence's voice lifted playfully on the last word, her chuckle infectious, and Spike couldn't contain a snicker at the pun that flew over Luna's head, unnoticed by her.
-Knock
-Knock
-Knock
Door knocks resounded, drawing the attention of all but Luna to the entrance. Cadence's horn shimmered with a soft pink glow, the door swinging open under its magical influence. “Come in!”, Two new figures entered: a cyan pegasus, her mane boasting a vibrant rainbow streak, and an elegant white unicorn, grace emanating from her very presence. As the room filled with the hum of fresh conversation, Luna's gaze lingered on a decorative, golden sun adorning the wall. A whisper of thought passed through her mind,
‘She promised… She said she would always be with me…’
Luna's thoughts were distant, echoes of a solemn vow reverberating in the silence of her mind. The chatter around her faded into a muffled backdrop, snippets of the conversation drifting to her ears without truly registering.
"...Oh, and the design of our compartment is simply marvellous. I must say, I've never seen such an exquisite array of fabrics from Khamelu, Saddle Arabia, and Neighpon used for decor..." the white unicorn was saying, her voice a blend of awe and appreciation.
“Pff, forget about that,” scoffed the Pegasus, brimming with a different sort of enthusiasm. “There’s an onboard gym and a snack wag, can you believe it? It's like a town on tracks!” Her excitement bubbled over as she continued, “Though, there aren’t many exits for flying out without the guards lecturing me on security and protocol. I’ve never been on the ground for more than five hours! Those guards just don’t understand what it’s like to be a future Wonderbolt. Every second on the ground feels like a second lost!” as she said, her hood landed hard on the polished wooden floor to further show her frustration, although more in a comical-sarcastic remark.
“...Rainbow this is… (unrecognizable talk)…Princess Celestia… wo-(unrecognizable talk)…”
The voices became a distant echo as Luna delved deeper into her own mind. She tried to weave the scattered tapestry of her life into a single, continuous strand, delving into the recesses of her memory. Each fragment, a challenge to grasp, to align, to understand. It was an introspective battle waged in silence. She needed to get out… she needed to rest… she needs… to be alone with her mind…
“-(unrecognizable talk)…Princess Luna?...(unrecognizable talk)…Luna?...(unrecognizable talk)-“
Luna wasn't sure how much time had passed when she finally surfaced from her reverie, but the silence that greeted her return to the present felt heavy with awkwardness. She became aware of the cabin's other occupants encircling her, a fact she only fully acknowledged when Rarity, the white unicorn, inadvertently obscured her view of the decorative sun … a symbol of her sister's cutie mark…on the opposite wall. Luna's solitude had been noticed, and now, concern and curiosity filled the blue eyes that met hers, still in a form of a blur for Luna.
“…Princess?”
Luna's gaze sharpened on Rarity, akin to a telescope aligning with its celestial target. She swiftly surveyed the group of ponies before her, her eyes tracing over each face in the assembly…’why are they just staring at me… what should I do?’
"Princess Luna... dear, is everything alright?" Rarity's voice was tinged with concern. "If you wish to rest before we fix you up, please know that it's perfectly fine" she offered gently.
"Luna, would you like to lay down for a while?" Cadence inquired with a softness that filled the room. "We can clear the room, or I can assist you—" She extended her hoof towards Luna in a gentle gesture of support. However, before Cadence's hoof could make contact, Luna rose abruptly. She stood swiftly, perhaps too quickly, as a twinge of pain flickered through her muscles. She dismissed it with a determined thought, 'I can't be weak…It has to change…’.
"W- I thank thee, Cadenz-ce," Luna stumbled slightly over the name, correcting herself as she spoke. "I shall retire to my quarters now. It seems I have not had sufficient rest in the last cycle," she explained, her words directed to Cadence though her eyes did not meet the other's gaze. As she stood up, now facing the door from the cabin, walking slightly past the group of ponies she tilted her head in the direction of Rarity, similarly not meeting her gaze. "Miss... Rarity," Luna began, her voice tinged with uncertainty. She was well aware of the unicorn's name—Rarity was the bearer of the element of generosity, after all—but the barrage of new names in recent months had made her prone to confusion. "I gratefully accept your offer. A brief rest is more than welcome, and thereafter, I shall return for my preparations within the next hour" Luna's said firmly.
Luna's pace toward the corridor's door was steady until the train's abrupt lurch caused her to falter slightly. She paused, allowing herself a moment to let the discomfort pass through her. At the doorway, Cadence's voice followed her, caring and concerned, "Do you want me to go with you?" There was another pause, she responded just above a murmur, "No." Her whisper was short and unemotional.
Exiting the cabin, Luna reached out with her magic, a faint delicate blue aura enveloping the door as she attempted to close it behind her. The task proved challenging, the door resisting her weary efforts, until she sensed another magical presence. Cadence's aura, a complementary hue, enveloped the door as well, lending strength to Luna's attempt. While Cadence's intention might have been to offer support, Luna perceived it differently. As the door clicked shut, aided by Cadence's strength, a single, piercing thought cut through Luna's pride: 'Weak.'