//------------------------------// // Chapter Four - Recovery // Story: A Dance Between the Sun and the Voice in Her Head // by MistOverMoon //------------------------------// Just when Celestia was starting to lose hope of ever getting out of the sun for the next one-thousand years, a crack appeared in the wall of fire in front of her. It was a searing scar amidst the flame, a burning rend that beckoned her. Without hesitation Celestia willed herself forward and through it. The rend sucked her out into the emptiness before immediately launching her back towards the planet. Relief filled her as she shot towards Equestria in the form of a ball of light. The landscape revealed itself to her and she willed the sun to rise as she reentered the world. Her student had done it, bless that brilliant purple pony! "Why, I reckon we do represent the elements of harmony!" A voice touched her ears. "Indeed, you do." Celestia dropped into the room in the form of a ball of light. She began to materialize from the ground up as the sun rose behind her. Outlined against its radiance she spread her wings wide as she raised the sun and hid the strain behind a straight face. Immediately light filled the room which cast golden rays across the darkened stone. All the differing ponies, ones Celestia had seen before in passing, immediately bowed. Her attention was ripped from them as Twilight met her gaze. "Princess Celestia!" Twilight ran up to her and immediately hugged her. "I thought you were gone forever!" "Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student." Celestia warmly smiled as she patted her students back. It was because of Twilight that she was back. "You should have told me." Twilight buried her face in Celestia's coat. "I knew I was right, why would risk yourself like that?" "I am sorry for not telling you everything. I knew that Nightmare Moon would return, and I knew that you had the magic to defeat her." Celestia gently tried to step away from her student only for Twilight to run forward again and wrap her hooves around her. "You should have told me." Twilight sniffled. Celestia nearly felt her heart break as her coat was soaked with tears. "You could not make true friends with such a task hanging over you." Celestia gently pushed Twillight away as she looked around the room. "You let true friendship into your heart, and I hope another will as well." Celestia saw her. Luna was laid out against a wall. Scraps of her armor were scattered around her form. Where once a massive mare stood, equal in height to Celestia herself, a smaller alicorn laid. Dark blue fur covered her and her once wild starlit mane shifted more easily now. "Princess Luna." Celestia approached her, everything else around her faded to a blur. Her sister looked just the way she remembered her all those years ago. As she approached Luna gasped and tried to shift away. Her eyes were wide with fear. "Please, sister." Celestia kneeled down next to her. "We were meant to rule together, will you forgive me?" "W-We are sorry!" Luna leapt towards her and wrapped her hooves around her. Celestia returned the hug. Tears began to pool in her eyes. Finally, they were together once more. "We missed you so much!" Everything had been worth it. Everything had been worth it for this moment. Celestia sobbed as she hugged Luna. It had been many years since she had hugged another pony and longer still since she had hugged her sister. All her worries faded away in that moment and she relished in the feeling of her coat against Luna's. Then somepony had to ruin it. "This one is a real tear-jerker, a real end to the drought that is my eyes." Void sniffled. "Even my friend got out okay, it turned out that everything was going to be alright after all!" Celestia froze. How had she forgotten about that? "Sister?" Luna looked up at her, her eyes watery. "Is everything okay?" "Of course, how could it not be okay after you have returned to my side?" Celestia hugged her again. "This calls for a party!" A pink pony, one of Twilight's friends was jumping up and down rapidly. For some reason there were two pools of water on either sides of her. "Indeed." Celestia smiled. "All of Equestria shall celebrate Luna's return." "Not to be a stick in the mud but I am kind of tired." One of the ponies said. "No partying for me today I'm afraid." "Applejack! Thats the princess!" "I'm just sayin-" "It's alright my little ponies, the celebration will need to wait." Celestia said. "Go on back home, the Everfree will not bother you today." "Princess." Twilight stepped forward. "Can we-" "I am sorry my most faithful student. I need to tend to my sister." Celestia said. "We will speak later." "A-Alright..." Twilight looked down at her hooves. "Twilight Sparkle, you and your friends are the cause of this joyous occasion. Without you I would never have my sister back." Celestia felt terrible for brushing her off but her sister took priority at the moment. They had been seperated for a thousand years after all. "I will speak to you soon. Please dont hate me for this." "I-I could never!" Twilight shouted. "Thank you, Twilight. You have done more than you know." Celestia stood and extended a hoof to her sister. "Are you ready Luna?" Luna looked towards the hoof and hesitantly nodded. Celestia took her hoof and channeled a teleportation spell. In burned her horn like a flare but she powered through it. In the next moment all that was left of their departure was wind over the stone. The last thing Celestia saw was Twilight's stare. In the next moment Celestia and Luna appeared in the castle throne room. A hidden runic circle in the center of the room glowed through the long red carpet before fading. It was a teleportation circle Celestia had inscribed herself years ago. She couldn't even remember the last time it had been used. Upon arriving Celestia immediately hugged her sister again. "I am so glad you are back." Celestia said. "We can't believe we are back. We have missed you sister." Luna said. "We... we let bitterness into our heart for too long. We thank thee for believing in us." "I will always believe in you." Celestia said. It seemed that Luna still used the royal 'we'. Even though she was speaking softly Celestia could still hear her sister's voice clearly. It seemed that she would have some adjusting to do. A thousand years was more than enough time for things to change. They stayed there for another long moment. Everything was right in the world. "We learned something sister. Something so that this will never happen again." Luna's mane was starting to regain its starry look. It gently lifted with magical power. "You don't have to worry about that Luna. I will never neglect you like I did before." "It is not that sister. We have learned a new type of magic. A type of magic that will allow us to walk in our subjects' dreams. We will never be bitter about thy day again." Luna said. "Dream walking?" Celestia asked. "Such a thing exists?" "It does sister. While you rule the day and receive the love of our subjects, we can enjoy the admiration of our subjects at night." Luna said. "It is the key to our problems. We will safeguard the night and you the day. It has been our duty before, but now we can do it much more thoroughly." "I am glad Luna. I am happy you found this spell." Celestia felt her heart glow with pride. "How did you learn to... dream walk?" "We discovered the power when becoming Nightmare Moon." Luna turned her gaze away, her eyes watered. "It was... we used it for horrible things sister. Such horrible things." "It's okay Luna. Everything is okay now." Celestia wanted to ask who she had learned it from but felt this was not the right time. It was entirely possible that she learned the spell on her own and it wasn't through Void's 'friend'. "How can we ever live with what we have done?" Luna asked. "What could we ever do to fix this transgression?" "You are already fixing it. You are planning to use your powers for good, you have come back to rule with me. What else could you possibly do?" Celestia turned her sister's head towards her to look her in the eyes. "You are a good pony, Luna. Once we ruled together in harmony, why could that not happen again?" Luna gently released the hug. She stood there with bags beneath her eyes and her legs shaky. Celestia took a moment to relish in the fact that her sister was standing before her. She even came back with an ability that would make sure such bitterness never festered again. Celestia's heart glowed. Yet a question remained, just where did such a power come from? "We... we are tired sister. We do not wish to part but the day has always been our time of rest." Luna said. "I have your room prepared already." Celestia said. "It has the finest blackout curtains I could find." "You prepared for our return in such a manner?" Luna's eyes began to water again. "I knew you would come back to me, either now or in a thousand years." Celestia moved her sister's flowing mane out of her eyes. "Come with me, I will show you your room." The two sisters walked side by side through the castle. Stoic guards nearly broke character as the two sisters walked by. Celestia had not told any of her sister's impending return. It had hurt too much over the years to have others speak of Luna. It was a constant reminder of her failure. She left only a mention of a bitter young alicorn in the history books- one that was in need of redemption. It was shameful, she only hoped that her ponies could recognize the good in her sister. In too short a time the two arrived before a black double door with a crescent moon on its front. "This is your room, Luna." Celestia stood rigidly. Luna opened the door which revealed a starry room. A large crescent bed, almost like a cradle, dominated the center of the room. On the far side of the room were massive blackout drapes. The room was all dark and pleasant hues of blue, purple, and gold. Covering the ceiling was a hoof-painted depiction of an ancient night sky. A night sky Luna had created long ago. Celestia never had a knack for moving the stars, Luna's nights had always been more enchanting and beautiful. "This pleases us sister." Luna stepped into the room. "We wish to speak more but we are exhausted." "It's alright Luna, feel free to rest. Do you want me to stay with you?" Celestia hoped that the answer would be yes. "We do not wish to part, but we know thy kingdom does not run itself." Luna said. "I can take a break for a day. What about attendants? Do you need a bath? How about some food?" Celestia's thoughts raced. "I can fetch a massage-" "We are alright sister! If... if you wish to join us then we would not deny it." Luna didn't meet her gaze. "Just until we fall asleep." "I would be happy to." Celestia turned to the guards. "Tell Raven to cancel all meetings and day court. Afterwards secure this room, no pony gets in. Also, tell her to send a letter to Cadence. She can return now." "Of course, your majesty." The guards bowed. "Thank you, my little ponies." Celestia smiled at the guards. Then she shut the door behind her. As Celestia tucked in her sister into bed for the first time in a thousand years, worried thoughts began to bubble up. Luna had received some king of dream power from Nightmare Moon. While this made Celestia nearly leap with joy, it also made her think. It must have been taught to her by Void's friend, a friend she was not sure even existed. The friend had to exist though, did it not? How else could Luna have learned such a spell or wielded such powerful magic? It was now more than ever that Celestia wished her limited clairvoyance would return to her. Seeing the future was a powerful tool, a tool that abandoned her when she used the elements of harmony. The visions she once received had stopped being useful over nine-hundred years ago. For now, though, there was something more important to do. "Sleep sister, I'm not going anywhere." Celestia closed the blackout curtains and sat at Luna's bedside. "Would... would we be in the wrong to say that you can sleep on the bed as well?" Luna said in the dark. "Of course not." Celestia gently climbed onto the bed and laid next to her sister. Back-to-back, Celestia listened as Luna's breathing evened out. Then something came to mind, Void had barely said anything all day and it had been one of her best ever. If that was not saying something, then Celestia didn't know what was. It did make her wonder why the voice was so quiet. Maybe he had grown a conciseness and recognized she needed time with her sister. No, that would never happen. It must be because of his friend. Tomorrow Celestia would go back to the Castle of the Two Sisters and look for any sign of the friend. This time she wouldn't allow a problem to grow. She would snuff it out before it got out of hand. Today she would keep vigil over her sister. Tomorrow, she would hunt.