//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7: Redemption 
// Story: Oldnew Luna: After the Dawn 
// by arandompenguin 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 7:

Nightmare Moon finished cleaning her body, the first time she had done so in a long time, and dried herself off. Once she had hung up the towel to dry, she walked out to the balcony to join Twilight. Twilight looked her up and down, peering intently at the mare. It was indeed a copy to Luna in every respect, the same short light-azure mane, the same fur colour, same size and shape, even the same cyan eyes, not even the elliptical pupils of the Nightmare Moon of old. But there was something in those eyes, an atmosphere of sadness that separated her from her counter-part.
“So, how are you?” Twilight asked, unsure of how to speak to her once nemesis. Nightmare Moon bit her slip slightly in much the way Luna did when she was struggling with an answer.
“I don’t know... I’m not sure what I think anymore.” Nightmare Moon replied, head lowered to the ground in shame of past events.

Twilight felt sorry for Nightmare Moon, from what she had told Luna and her, she had been born unto the hatred she had harboured against Celestia and the rest of the ponies. It wasn’t really her fault, and Nightmare Moon certainly seemed regretful of what she had attempted to do. Twilight looked out over the balcony to the horizon and took a deep breath to clear her mind.
“Come on, Luna and Celestia will be here soon, let’s set up some chairs.” Twilight told Nightmare Moon, laying a hoof on her shoulder to get her attention. Nightmare Moon gave a nod with her head still lowered to the ground, but she still walked back inside with Twilight and helped her set up.

Just as they had finished pulling together the various chairs that were positioned around the room, the double doors to Twilight and Luna’s bedroom were opened, revealing the two Royal Pony Princesses of Equestria. They took in the scene instantly and sat themselves down on the chairs, Luna next to Twilight and Nightmare Moon next to Celestia. It was an odd sight to say the least.
“So, am I to believe that you two have freed Nightmare Moon from her imprisonment without conferring with me first?” Celestia began in that tone of hers. The one that, on the surface, seems pleasant, but when you at the brunt of it, you can’t help but feel a sense of wrath coming off from her. Twilight winced slightly and looked at the carpet.
“I’m sorry Celestia, it was my fault. Luna wanted to keep Nightmare Moon locked up until we talked with you, but I couldn’t just leave her in the cell like that.” Twilight said, eyes firmly glued to the floor.

Celestia stayed silent for a bit longer, examining Nightmare Moon intently. Nightmare Moon fidgeted slightly, nervous under the scrutiny of Princess Celestia.
“While I don’t agree that Nightmare Moon should have been let out before a counsel with me, your judgement holds some merit, and as such, I will allow Nightmare Moon a chance to convince me that she has changed before I pass judgement.” Celestia told Twilight. Twilight raised her head from its lowered state, surprised that Celestia was willing to reserve judgement against the pony that threatened to overthrow her and enslave her subjects. Everyone looked expectantly at Nightmare Moon, waiting for her to begin speaking.

Nightmare Moon looked hesitantly about the group, unsure of herself.
“Come on, just tell her what you told us.” Luna said, willing to back Twilight up on her decision to trust Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon gave a nod and repeated the story of her imprisonment, and the introspective thoughts she had during her stay. All the while the other ponies stayed silent, listening as the Nightmare laid her secrets out for all to see.

Once she had finished, Celestia frowned slightly in thought, everypony present awaited her verdict.
“I know a liar when I see one.” Princess Celestia began, looking at the face that so very resembled that of her sister, “But you are not one. That tale you told was true, or at least you believed it to be true. And if it is true, well, we might have some problems.” Celestia continued, Nightmare Moon gave a sigh of relief as Celestia proclaimed her words to be true.
“How so?” Luna asked, in reference to Celestia’s words that they may have some problems.

Celestia cleared her throat before continuing. “If my suspicions are correct, while this is physically the same Nightmare Moon from two years ago, on an emotional level she is something else. I hypothesise that, due to her separation from you, she has gained a conscience of sorts, in essence she is a pony unto herself. And unfortunately for us, that means that we can’t just put her back into your head, it would be a violation of almost every right she holds as a pony.”
“So what do you propose?” Luna questioned.
“I’m not sure as of yet, I’ll have to think about this, but for now we can’t really put her back in her cell. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind looking after her for today? I’ll probably have sorted things out by nightfall. If you don’t, I would perfectly understand, especially after what she’s done to you two, I’ll just have some guards look after her.” Celestia told them, not even caring to glance at Nightmare Moon.

Twilight and Luna gave each other a look, mentally conferring with each other. While it would be awkward to have Nightmare Moon with them, as well as slightly disconcerting, they believed it to be better if they kept an eye on her. Plus it would be a good way to try and see what Nightmare Moon’s motives were, if she had any that is.
“We’ll look after her.” Twilight decided finally.
“Are you sure?” Celestia replied, surprised that Twilight trusted Nightmare Moon so implicitly. Twilight and Luna nodded simultaneously. “So be it, I’ll leave you three together, though I would advise not going anywhere especially public, having two Lunas would draw even more attention than you already do.” Celestia told them, standing to leave.
“That’s fine with us.” Luna replied, they hadn’t planned to go out today anyway. Celestia nodded curtly and left through the double doors, shutting them behind her with an air of finality.

Nightmare Moon turned back to the other two mares that were facing her.
“So... what are we going to do?” She asked them timidly, relived that she seemed to be in the clear but still slightly nervous as to what she was supposed to be doing and acting like. All of her life had been spent on her own, cocooned in anger, now that she was free of that she didn’t know how to act.
“There is something I think we should decide before we go and do anything.” Twilight said, “We can’t keep calling you Nightmare Moon, I’m not sure what you are anymore, but you certainly aren’t that same vindictive pony anymore.”
“So, what are you going to call me?” Nightmare Moon asked. Twilight and Luna looked at each other once more, each coming to the same conclusion at the same time.
“Moonlight.” They echoed together, before giggling together at the memories of years past.

Nightmare Moon looked at the couple as they laughed with each other, completely at ease together. 
“What?” She said, feeling like she was missing something.
Twilight quietened down enough to explain, “Back in Ponyville, when Luna was going incognito, we - or rather I – called her Moonlight.” Nightmare Moon, now called Moonlight, smiled, even though she didn’t really understand why it was funny. “Anyway, I don’t know about you guys but I’m kinda hungry.” Twilight continued, rubbing her stomach for emphasis, Luna nodded along with her.
“Indeed, let’s go to the kitchen then. We’ll get a few odd stares, though still probably not as many as the first time me and Twilight went there.” Luna added with smile, remembering the butter incident that had taken place in that very kitchen. Twilight grinned back, rising from the chair and stretching out. Moonlight was confused, she should hold the memories of Luna, since they used to be part of the same consciousness, but it seemed like she had lost them all during her imprisonment. Nevertheless, she too rose to her hooves and made for the double doors behind Twilight and Luna.

They managed to get all the way to the kitchen without meeting anypony, save for a single Royal Guard, who was trained well enough to not react to the strange sight of Twilight being flanked by two Lunas. Once they were inside, however, the kitchen was packed full of cooks, who were preparing for the evening meal that was being held in the dining hall. One of the waiters that was waiting in the wings to bring the food through spotted them, the same one that had served them two years ago. He remembered them and gave a small smile, one which was then replaced with confusion after he saw Moonlight. However, he pulled out a spare table all the same and three chairs for the ponies to sit down on. 

When they had seated themselves, Twilight and Luna next to each other, facing Moonlight, The waiter cleared his throat and spoke up.
“So, what would Princess Luna, Miss Sparkle, and uh...” He stopped, unsure of what to call the other alicorn.
“Moonlight.” Moonlight said, getting into the swing of her new name.
“Right, Moonlight, what would you three like to eat on this fine evening?” The waiter continued, looking suspiciously at Moonlight, unsure of what to make of her.
“What’s available?” Luna asked, surveying the kitchen. The waiter listed off all of the dishes that were being prepared, there was a lot of them to say the least.
“I suppose we would like some of the salad, please.” Luna decided, not wanting to go with anything overly ostentatious. The waiter bowed and went back to the kitchen proper to go collect their meal, taking a moment to glance back at the odd spectacle once more.

A thought occurred to Twilight, “Hey Luna, you know you’re no longer immortal?” Twilight asked, Luna nodded, wondering where this was going, “Well, do you think Moonlight is mortal too? I mean, you became mortal because you fell in love with me, but I’m pretty sure Moonlight didn’t and since she is now a separate pony, would she be immortal?” Twilight continued, Luna cocked her head slightly to one side. Moonlight kept looking back and forth between the two of them as they pondered her life.
“That’s an interesting idea, one I don’t really have an answer to, perhaps Celestia would know, she is rather more learned than me when it comes to matters like this.” Luna replied after a while, frowning slightly as she did when she didn’t know the answer to a question. “Also, on that matter of learnedness, I think we should start our lessons back up tomorrow, it’s not good practice to stop doing something like that.” She continued, Twilight replied with a nod, she would be looking forward to it.

The waiter arrived back with their salads, placing a simple wooden bowl with the foodstuff inside in front of each of the mares before giving another bow and departing back into the steaminess of the cooking area. They dug into their food with relish, especially Moonlight, who had not eaten in a long time. They noticed that as they ate, the cooks and various other personnel that were working in the kitchen kept glancing over to them, mainly to the two Princess Lunas that were seated there. The three seated ponies ignored them however, content with their eating. Once they had finished they bade farewell to the assembled kitchen workers, who had just begun to start bringing the prepared food out to the masses in the dining hall.

On their walk back to Twilight and Luna’s bedroom, Celestia met them, going in the opposite direction.
“Ah! There you are, I thought you might be having a bite to eat. Not too much attention brought to you I hope?” Celestia greeted them.
“Not too much.” Luna said with a grin, Celestia rolled her eyes at her sister.
“Anyway, I’ve thought about everything and I’ve come to some conclusions. But perhaps we should discuss them in your room.” Celestia said, turning back around and leading them to the bedroom. On the way, Princess Celestia continued talking to them. “I’ll try to make this as brief as possible, I’m meant to show up for the meal that’s being held in the dining hall today.”

They remained standing once inside the room, hoping that the meeting would be brief. Celestia stood facing the other three, who were once more standing with Twilight in the middle.
“Okay, upon Twilight’s judgement, I have decided to give Nightmare Moo-” Celestia began, but was interrupted by Moonlight.
“It’s Moonlight.” She said, sure of herself for once today. Celestia looked at Twilight and Luna, who gave a nod. She gave a shrug with her wings and continued on, “As I was saying, I have decided to give Moonlight another chance, I have arranged her to have the bedroom beside yours, but she will have a guard posted permanently outside her doors and is currently limited to the castle in terms of where she can go, in return she will be allowed to live largely on her own. Are these terms agreeable?” Celestia finished, the other three nodded simultaneously. “Then it’s settled.” She said, expecting that response. “How about you two show Moonlight to her room?” Celestia walked swiftly out of the doors, heading back towards the dining hall.

Twilight looked at Moonlight, “Come on, let’s show you to your room then.” She said, Moonlight gave a nod at followed them out the door and for the short walk to the next room. The bedroom was a lot smaller than Luna’s, yet still probably about three times as large as Twilight’s one back in the library. Moonlight looked around the room carefully, slowly revolving on the spot.
“This is mine?” Moonlight asked, Luna nodded. “I’ve never really owned anything before, even that lunar castle is technically yours.” Moonlight continued, voice full of emotion. Twilight and Luna would never have imagined that something so simple as getting a bedroom to sleep in would mean as much as it did to the mare.
“Right, well, we’ll leave you to it then.” Luna said, turning to leave, Twilight following suit.
“Wait!” Moonlight exclaimed, holding a hoof out to stop them, before putting it over her mouth. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout.” 
“It’s fine, what did you want to tell us?” Luna said, turning back to her copy.
“I just wanted to say thank you, for everything. I never would have imagined anything like this happening to me.” Moonlight said, sheepishly.
“It’s okay, you should probably have some sleep now.” Twilight told her, giving her a swift hug and departing with Luna. Moonlight stood there for over a minute afterwards, shocked at the friendly contact. She knew that she could never be redeemed for what she had done in her past life, but she hoped that, one day, she could have a friend in Twilight and Luna.

Outside the doors, walking along the corridor, was Twilight and Luna.
“You know, we never asked Celestia about Moonlight’s immortality.” Twilight mused.
“Oh yeah, I guess that’s just something that will have to wait until tomorrow, we should probably go raise the moon now.” Luna replied, Twilight grinned, she loved watching Luna raise the moon. The made haste for the circular room.