Luna knew peace, and that was a rare thing. She knew nothing but peace in every fibre of her being, except that one spot there. She reached a hoof to scratch it, still quite asleep, safely ensconced in her dreamscape. But the sensation didn't go away.
It was growing stronger by the moment. It stopped itching. It was a gentle nuzzling.
Luna cracked open an eye. "Why...?" She focused on the source of those nuzzles. The gentle lapping of the waterfall near her and the dazzling flowers did little to muffle the surprise to see a small version of herself, gently nuzzling at her.
Luna sat up, ears erect. "Who... what are you?"
The little Luna smiled up at her, saying nothing.
But Luna knew. There was communication between them without words, without images. She just knew. She had taken the Tantabus within her. It had to go somewhere.
It could have become an angry demon, raging sullenly within her. But it had become this little foal. "You are... my regret?"
The filly Luna inclined her head left and right, then reached out, pawing at her larger before nestling against her.
"You are... Something else..." Luna reached, gathering her little self closer. "Something precious. You are me..."
That she didn't understand it was entirely her own fault. She didn't understand herself, and that self had come to offer nuzzles and look at her with eyes that begged for company.
She could turn them away, shout them out of her dream...
"I cannot..." She leaned in, touching her nose to the little Luna's cheek. "But we can't both be Luna."
The little one looked at her with uncertainty.
"And we must use words." She tapped her head. "We may both be one... But that will confuse others. It confuses me, if I am being honest..."
"What words should I use?" asked the little Luna, a smile on her snout.
"Little reflection." Luna willed her reflection up with her magic. "The first word should be your name, but what should that be... Sublunar?"
"No." The little Luna shook her head, disfavor clear on her face.
"And... yet it remains mine to give." Luna huffed gently. "I am tired, and you know that." The little Luna nestled warmly against her and Luna hugged her little self close. "It should be criminal, being that cute..."
An idea came to her along with a smile. "Crescent."
Crescent accepted that without a word, and Luna knew it. Sleep came for them both.
It was about a week later. Luna was in her room, fluffing up her ethereal mane. "Another evening of work ahead of me," she sang to her reflection.
"Yes."
Luna whirled to find Crescent watching her. "What are you doing here?"
"You need company." Crescent put both hooves to her little chest. "Me too. You don't think of me as much anymore. You've put your regret behind you. I don't like being behind you."
Luna inclined her head. "You were literally there a moment ago." And that was the problem. "Stop that." She reached out to bonk Crescent on the head. "Talk with outside words. We may be the same pony, but I refuse to speak to you that way."
Crescent rubbed where she had been bonked. "Alright... I am sorry."
"Good." Luna's featured brightened to a smile. "Now what am I to do with you? I need to inspect dreams. You know that."
"I do." She pointed at herself. "May I explore the castle?"
Luna cringed, imagining the mockery she'd get when ponies saw her little self walking around. "Can't you... just stay still?"
"No." Crescent was not showing herself to be a subtle filly. "Can I bother Raven? She seems nice."
"Miss Inkwell? My sister's secretary?" Luna snorted at the idea. "You're welcome to try, but she's busy more often than..."
It was too late. She had given permission, and Crescent trotted out of the room on a mission. "I will regret this."
Still, there was a mission to be done, so she curled up to start her dream patrols.
Luna suppressed a groan as she emerged from her dream patrols later that night. She had a feeling Crescent was going to cause some mischief while let loose in the castle.
Making her way down the hall, Luna peeked into the library. Sure enough, there was the little filly, chatting eagerly with a bemused Raven Inkwell.
"And then I said 'But it's right there on the map!'" Crescent giggled, tapping a hoof on an open atlas. "Get it? Because maps are flat but the world is round?"
Raven gave a tolerant smile. "Yes, very amusing." She looked up as Luna entered. "Welcome back, Princess. Your young friend here was just regaling me with some...jokes."
Luna nodded, noting the subtle plea for rescue in the secretary's eyes. "Ah, I see Crescent has been entertaining you. Thank you for indulging her, Miss Inkwell."
She turned to Crescent. "Come along now, little one. Let's allow Raven to return to her work."
Crescent's ears drooped. "But I was having fun..." At Luna's stern look, she sighed. "Yes, Princess."
As they left the library, Luna asked gently, "Did you truly pester poor Raven all night with silly filly jokes?"
Crescent scuffed a hoof. "No...I helped tidy some books too. And I let her try on my crown!" She pointed to the little silver circlet perched askew on her mane.
Luna couldn't help but laugh. Perhaps this little embodiment of herself wasn't so troublesome after all. "Truly now? You are being better behaved than I had imagined." She led Crescent back towards her room.
There, she guided them both to sit on a large cushion. "Little Crescent, sliver of the moon... You are me."
"You are me," echoed Crescent with a bright smile.
"But I don't know what you want." Luna leaned closer. "Kindly give a hint to yourself and tell me." She held up a hoof quickly. "Out loud, kindly."
"Out loud, okay..." Crescent considered with little hums. "I am you. I was your regret. I am your missing years. I want to make up for that, and be happier." She gestured to herself, then Luna. "Us. We are one. We deserve to be happy."
Luna smiled at the filly. "I... would like to be happy..." She frowned just as suddenly. "I am happy."
Crescent said nothing, but understanding flowed. Luna's happiness was a delicate thing. "Cut that out." Luna tapped her little self on the head. "How do you propose making us both happy?"
Crescent pointed to the door leading out of Luna's chambers. "I am yours. Take care of me. Take care of yourself. I will try to do the same."
"Take care of you?" Luna looked over that small little Luna. "Like a foal?"
"I am a foal." Crescent wagged her tail with happy little swishes. "Be my mother. Be me."
"Only a dream entity could say that with a straight face." Still, she failed to resist and gathered Crescent up into a warm hug. "I never thought I'd have a foal."
"I will try to be a good one." Crescent curled in against Luna. "Please."
Luna felt her heart melt as she held the little filly close. Crescent's plea tugged at her in a way she didn't quite understand. Perhaps it was simply her own loneliness and desires manifesting through this piece of herself given form.
"I suppose...having a companion wouldn't be so terrible," Luna mused, running a gentle hoof over Crescent's mane. "And nopony knows me better than myself, after all."
She smiled down at the beaming face looking back at her with such open adoration. It had been centuries since anypony gazed on Luna with such unconditional love and trust. Even after her return from exile, most still viewed her with caution or awe rather than genuine affection.
Crescent's tiny hooves wrapped around Luna's neck in a hug that chased away the last of her reservations. Yes, she would care for this sweet, silly filly who only wanted her company. In caring for Crescent, perhaps she could learn to care more kindly for herself as well.
"Very well, little one. I accept your proposal," said Luna formally. Then she rubbed their noses together. "Now...as my new daughter, I believe your first royal duty is getting ready for bed!"
Crescent squeaked in protest but soon settled under the covers when Luna promised to sit with her a while. Humming a lullaby, the Moon Princess stroked the now-sleeping filly's back, feeling truly at peace for the first time in ages. Her family had grown to include a little foal.
She tucked Crescent in gently. Only once she was sure the little filly was quite ready to finish their sleep, Luna rose and strode from the room.
"I have other duties." She looked for wilted lavenders to replace in the hallways and otherwise tended to the more physical needs of the castle's night.
It had become morning, she could tell, smelling her sister's pancakes, and the tugging fatigue that plagued her. It was time for her own rest, but Tia would surely want to talk...
Luna made her way to the sunny kitchens, stifling a yawn behind one hoof. As expected, Princess Celestia stood at the griddle flipping pancakes, the sweet scent of the warm breakfast filling the air.
"Good morning, sister," Celestia greeted warmly. "You look quite tired. Was your evening busy?"
"Mm, only the usual dreamwalking, my dear Tia," murmured Luna, levitating a few pancakes onto her own plate. She paused, then added in what she hoped was a casual tone, "I, ah...may have acquired a young charge in my quarters last night."
Celestia arched an eyebrow. "Oh? One of Twilight's students come seeking an astronomy lesson from Auntie Luna?" She chuckled.
"Not exactly." Luna took a fortifying sip of juice before explaining, "I seem to have...adopted a foal of sorts. My own, er, daughter, if you will."
Pancakes forgotten, Celestia gaped at her sister. "A daughter?! Luna, are you...seeing somepony in secret?"
"What? No!" Luna felt her face flush violet. "It is nothing like that. She is...well...me. The ponyfied version of my regret over past mistakes...only now she wishes for me to raise her as my own foal self." She gave a weak grin. "Surprise?"
Celestia was still and unmoving, just the sound of a guard walking past to break it.
"Lulu." Celestia brought her hooves together slowly. "Am I to understand that you have adopted a coping mechanism?"
Luna's cheeks went from cool to being on fire, her heart thumping in her chest. "Something... like that... yes. You make it sound absurd when you say it."
"Because it is." Celestia reached across the table. "Luna, I love you. Let's start with that. You have my undying support."
"Then support this, Tia." Luna let out a weary sigh. "I need sleep. If it pleases you, she will probably wake up before I do. I will leave a note for her to find you. You can talk this over with her. If you would send her away, let me know after you've spoken with her.
Luna rose to her hooves. "Though I doubt that. She has my charms." She flashed her most winning smile. "There's no chance you will do anything save faun over her."
With that settled, at least in her mind, Luna tromped off towards her own bed.
Celestia watched her sister depart, eyebrows knitted in concern. Luna had always been the more eccentric of the two, but adopting a magical construct as a daughter was unexpected even for the whimsical Moon Princess.
Still, Luna had asked her to speak with this "Crescent" first before judging. Perhaps there was more to this situation than met the eye.
She took a last bite of her own pancake, her hunger somewhat muddled. "Lulu..." She took a resolute breath. "I will meet this Crescent, and judge with my own eyes and ears." She rose from her seat. "For now, the duties of the day call to me."