//------------------------------// // A Dilettantish Attempt on a Prologue // Story: Luna's Thoughts - A Story // by Chaodiurn //------------------------------// A Dilettantish Attempt on a Prologue Celestia sat in one of her personal carriages she had only running in ceremonial times. It was late afternoon, and the solar goddess returned from her protégé Twilight Sparkle to Canterlot after she managed to get a window of opportunity into her daily duties that was large enough for a short visit in Ponyville, including some cups of Twilight's gorgeous assortment of teas. In the left window she could see her castle reflecting the last sun's that she would raise this year, as it came to an end after a proper period of time. With that fact, her targeted location also had switched. She wasn't going to be back in her royal chambers soon. As every year, the last week was celebrated in Canterlot with a big market were all the craftsponies could sell their last products to get a financial boost for the new year. Also the high-society would be present in the streets over the next days and nights. A year was a rather large time-span for any kind of happenings to take place, and the last review always took place in the fanciest cafes. And the opening speech was supposed to be delivered soon by the two leaders of the Equestrian nation. As if she summoned it, a jolt went through the carriage when the wheels made first contact with ground again. As it came to a stop, she heard two voices from outside. “I assure you that this year's New Year's market will be full of wonders!” “I wonder if one of these “wonders” includes us delivering the opening speech in time,” she heard her sister answering the stranger's statement in that light annoyed, yet progressive voice of hers. It was clearly on her now to rescue the poor entourage of Luna from a verbal diarrhoea. She opened the door and searched eye-contact with the blue alicorn. “Now, now, dearest sister,” she said, “we're in more than good time and the ponies surely won't begin without us.” Luna just shook her head at her and stepped away from the freshly arrived Celestia without giving her even a chance of getting out of the flying means of transportation. “We have enough time for private occupations; our subjects shall not suffer from our decisions.” Luna said in a voice that was loud enough to reach her sister's ears without turning around, “I told you it wouldn't be a good idea to visit her just before such an even, but you had to visit Twilight Sparkle, of course.” Celestia stepped outside the carriage with a knowing sigh,“We're not late,” she repeated to convince her sister, “and you know that your words aren't true. There are few occasions for me to meet my protégé.” Luna, however, still didn't show any effort in sticking to conservation forms, “that doesn't legitimate to announce the new year for our subjects with a disappointing sense of duty.” Celestia rolled her eyes at the perseverance of Luna's perceptions and walked up to her sister. “If you wanted some tea too, you just should have told us,” she teased instead of trying to bring forward further arguments. “Tiz not true,” Luna with her nose in the winds. “I just think that we shouldn't pay more attention to a single subject than the the rest of our citizens.” Celestia found herself caught a little off-guard by her straight-forward argumentation. They entered the labyrinth of shops and decorations in silence before she finally cleared her throat before answering. “Well,” she said, “that is hardly the same. You can't compare an emotional individual with the duty of fulfilling traditions.” It didn't take long for Luna facing her sister, already having a hard time in enjoying the annual decorations around her. “How could you prefer a subject over an other? That is not fair by any means.” Celestia also detached her view from the glamorous environment and waved her head to the dark-blue prophet of doom and gloom beside her. “It's the natural development of a pony-community to outline such social differences.” She said with a calm, yet unhappy voice. She loved her sister, but sometimes Luna just was an annoying goddess beyond imagination. “But not among us,” the lunatic Princess simply answered, not letting her mind settle to peace yet. “The best way to follow the development of our subjects is to interact with them. That's a duty you missed to keep up lately,” she answered as a pony tried shyly to greet her. The answer, however, wasn't as long in coming as she wished to. “It's hard to speak with ponies while they're asleep, you know?” Luna said sarcastically. “The guards aren't,” she said. “What do you mean?” Luna asked, not allowing the face of her sister to pass away from her vision for a second. The face itself, as it was seemingly bored by the way to fundamental dialogue, transformed slowly into a mischievous smile before she explained her previous words. Something built up in the celestial mind. “Well,” Celestia finally began, “there are few mares to care about in the depths of your night, and I know how appealing the workouts in the barracks can be, so-” “Tia!” Luna suddenly stabled up with a light tone of red shimmering through her face's fur, “stop talking such mumbo-jumbo; our subjects could hear us!” “I'm sorry Woona, but I-” “Tia!” She got interrupted again. As annoying the lunar goddess could become, it was always a joyful event to Celestia when her lunatic sister lived the day with her when she decided that an event was important enough to stay awake during the day. But even when this was a rather rare occasion she still knew when her sister had enough. She cleaned her though to force her mind to get back to a more serious talk. She probably knew what she could make out of this conversation. “What I'm trying to say is that you really should socialize more often. In example, why don't you look out for your own protégé? You could share your knowledge with a mare or perhaps a stallion if that is a more appealing idea for you.” Luna stared disbelieving at her sister, what caused her almost to trip over a hosepipe connecting each side of the road for whatever reason. “I beg your pardon, but what are you saying dear sister? You want me to take care of a protégé to have even more chances to disregard my royal duties?” Celestia nodded to confirm her thoughts, even if the last part wasn't exactly what she meant, “It would give you a great experience of the modern society. You could learn to manage your actions and be there for single subjects as for the other subjects as well.” “Like you who visits her protégé in the last hour before Canterlot's New Year's Market-opening speech? I'm sorry Tia, but I'm disinclined to acquire to your request.” Celestia waved at at the leading organizer of the speech who was recognizable in front of a wooden stage, in the middle of the plaza that provided the space for the mob of listeners that still had to grow. “Don't be like that. There are plenty of ponies who would love to spare their time with your, even here in Canterlot! I bet Trixie would make a wonderful student.” The name made Luna's right eye twitch slightly. She remembered the blue unicorn too well. Not long ago Trixie Lulamoon had reactivated the Alicorn Amulet, a relic of ancient days, formed by her eager sister herself as a personal weapon in the second changling wars. And of course this little adventure caused problems. It was designed to increase the magical flow of an immortal, not the pitiful techniques of a mortal. “What makes you think that this unicorn would qualify as my protégé?” She forced herself to say in a neutral voice. “She just seems to have problems to adjust. And she shows great efforts lately. With your help she surely could muse a much greater amount of her potential. And who knows, maybe she learns to trust again.” Is seemed like Luna couldn't decide whether how to look angry or disbelieving as her face was continuously fluctuated between each perk of her emotions, “Great efforts? Trust? That unicorn reactivated the Alicorn's Amulet just to get her revenge on Twilight Sparkle! We think that the last thousand years were enough lost time for the upcoming decades.” “Luna!” Celestia looked at her sister with a shocked expression. “Gotcha,” the lunatic Princess smiled, “but seriously, I prefer scholars and poets over such a trickster.” “And guards?” Celestia seemingly added in a question. And with that, the smile was gone again all of a sudden. “Enough of this!” Luna shouted, “let us just do this speech proper, okay?” Celestia nodded in agreement. “Fine, but think above it later, will you?” Luna trotted slightly ahead of her celestial sister to speak with the pony of authority. “I'll see about that.”