//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: The Lunar Conundrum // by CPA870 //------------------------------// Canterlot: A Day After The Summer Sun Celebration. Twilight Sparkle watched in awe, as seemingly all of Canterlot was in a joyous Uproar. As the Chariot, containing their long lost Princess rounded the final corner of it's city-wide route. The Dark Blue Vessel slowly but surely cut through the very thick crowd, in an attempt to turn around back to the Royal Castle. It was truly amazing how many ponies had gathered to just catch a glimpse the newly Free'd Princess Luna. Even if it was only for a moment. Just by the sheer size of the crowd Twilight had estimated that at the least everypony in Canterlot had gathered in the town square. Heck, she wouldn't doubt it if some of the ponies had come all the way from Stalliongrad to see the parade. It truly was a grand occasion. "Amazing, isn't it?" Princess Celestia called out, startling the already unfocused Mare. "Princess?" She inquired a little bit winded. Truthfully she hadn't had a scare like that since she was late returning a particularly interesting Library book. Twilight shivered, that day still gave her Nightmares... "Sorry, did I startle you?" Celestia asked, a little bemused. Sometimes her protégé could be so coherent, and the other times she could be the single most distracted Mare on the planet. Though that seems to be a common symptom of "OCD." "Oh, No! Not at all!" Twilight rubbed the back of her head, "I was just expecting you to be down there, With Princess Luna." Twilight replied while motioning towards the dark blue vessel. Which was about halfway to the Gardens by then. "Hm, well, yes, that is what SHE expected as well," Celestia chuckled a little bit. "Princess?" Twilight was very confused. After all, her sister was just free'd from her curse, AND her 1000 year banishment. Shouldn't she be alongside her sister in the Parade? Celestia turned to meet her students gaze. "Twilight," Celestia said, her voice as sweet as honey. "Yes?" Twilight asked. "Why is it that you and your friends declined to be included in the parade?" The Sun princess inquired, turning to watch as the chariot containing her younger sister finally broke free of the crowd's grasp. "Well," Twilight nervously responded. "Hmph?" The sun princess turned, and once again her almighty gaze fell upon her student. "We felt, that the parade wasn't for us. Today was orchestrated to celebrate Princess Luna's return, so for us to be included…. We felt as though it wouldn't be right," the element of magic replied truthfully. "I see," Celestia commented,"A very wise decision. And precisouly the reason I decided not to take part in the parade." Now this truly confused Twilight, it made sense for the Elements of harmony to be excluded. But Princess Celestia was Princess Luna's Older sister, shouldn't she be celebrating with her? Celestia, very aware of Twlight's apparent confusion, sighed. "My dear Twilight, sometimes you are so foolish..." "What?!?!?!" Twilight Sparkle frantically raved. Did she do something wrong? Was it something she said? Was it something she thought? Should she not have thought that! Should she stop thinking? Despite her resolve to stop thinking, tons of thoughts raced through her head. The Sun Princess chuckled at the little display of her protégé's "OCD" at work. "Time for a history lesson!" Celestia announced while clapping her Hooves together. Twilight instantly snapped out of her stupor. 'History?' Why would I need a history lesson? I had straight A's in Hisyory throughout the Acedmy. Oh no I'm thinkin again!' While making a mental note to stop thinking, she prepared for her mentor's sudden pop quiz. "First, and only question, what originally turned Priness Luna into nightmare moon?" Twilight responded almaot instantaneously, only hesitating a second to scold herself for thinking again. "Princess Luna transformed into Nightmare Moln due to her jealously. She envied how ponies praised the day, yet shuned her night. Though the exact date of her transformation is unknown it's speculated it happened ov-" "That is quite enough my dear pupil." Celestia looked over at the crowd once more. Twilight's cheeks emanated a red glow as she realized her mistake. 'Of course I don't need to explain the date, She lived it!' Twilight smacked her hoof against her forehead, in a matter that usually shouted "IDIOT!" "My sister, was transformed into… her… because of me," Her facial expression seemed, melancholy. Twilight had wanted to speak up, to day something reassuring to her mentor. But alas, she was at a loss for words "She was also banished to the moon. By me." One again Twilight found it hard to listen to the princess speaking so poorly of herself. Sure, all of those things happened, but they were necessary, and it's not like the Princess meant for any of that to happen. "Today is about HER," the princess gestured towards the now parked Chariot. Princess Luna stood outside it waving at all who had come to see her. "I haven't seen her smile that big in many a millinia ago..." Celestia's voice trailed off as she watched her sister relish in her newfound admiration, a joyful smirk plastered across her face. Twilight rubbed her chin in thought. "Princess?" "Hmm?" She replied. "Princess Luna was on the moon for a thousand years, correct?" Twilight already knew the answer to that question, she just felt as though asking it was more polite. "Yes, what is your point my little student?" Celestia asked, a little baffled by Twilight's sudden Dialouge change. "Well, don't you think something could have happened to her?" Now this, caught the Solar Princess's attention. "What do you mean?" "Well, for the longest time she was Nightmare Moon, and even before then she still had that mindset." "Yes?" Celestia still had no idea where Twilight was going with this. "So now that she is free from those thought's, wouldn't that mean that she might suffer a "Loss of connection" from the moon. Or perhaps she might develop a fear of it, or, or..." "Twilight,"Celestia interrupted Twilight's OCD inspired rambilings. The element of magic lifted her head back up to make eye contact. "Believe me when I say there is absolutely nothing to worry about. My sister is strong, resilient. After all, it did take years for her to finally change, didn't it?" "Yes but-" "My dear Twilight, there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING you need to worry about, understand." "Yes princess." _______________ Canterlot: Present 'No, No, NO! It can't be that time yet!' Princess Luna paced back and forth in her royal bed chambers. An almost cartoon like, two-foot deep groove was worn into floor. (Figure out the metric system yourselves! I'm above such a thing! Wow, I think I just channeled rarity...) 'What do I do, WHAT DO I DO!?!?!' She thought frantically. 'No, no, no, no-' "Princess Luna?" A voice rang out from behind the door. "Yes?" "It's time." 'NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'