I, heavily guarded, was escorted back to Canterlot Castle with my sister. The whole time, despite the fact that there was only one pony among us that wasn’t afraid of me, I felt warm inside. This was the first time I’d seen my sister really doing what she should be doing as the ruler of the kingdom. It also seemed like my absence that…matured her a bit. I couldn’t tell for sure, but she seemed more independent, just like I’d always wanted her to be. I never wanted her to rule independently—as she said, we were meant to rule together—but I wanted to see her independent as a pony.
One thing that shocked me that I guess I really should have expected was that she seemed more guarded. Before, we’d told each other anything and everything, but now, I was certain she was going to withhold information from me just out of the fear I might cause another revolution, even if my previous one had been short-lived. I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty over this. I felt like maybe I should have tried harder to talk to her, instead of using force so quickly.
Seeing my sister like this, I felt for the first time in a thousand years like I was really losing something precious. It made my heart ache, this combination of loss and knowing I could have done something different. I didn’t even realize I was crying until I felt Celly’s hoof on my shoulder.
“Lulu,” she began, using her nickname for me for the first time in a thousand years, “what’s wrong?”
I couldn’t stop the tears. “Everything, Celly,” I told her. “I made the wrong choice and now…and now…things aren’t going to be the same between us.”
“That isn’t true, little sister,” she corrected me gently. “Time heals even the deepest of wounds, and I did learn from what you tried to tell me that day. I’m a different leader now.”
“I-I can tell.” My sobbing was easing up. “Those…those ponies, they really loved you. That’s unusual for the Princess Celestia I knew.”
“You know what you can start doing what we get back to Canterlot Castle?” she asked me warmly.
“What?”
“You can start raising that moon again,” she answered with a smile.
“R-really?” I gasped.
“Yes. You can start as soon as night comes.”
Finally, I felt like I really was the little sister, just like I should be. I leaned up against Celestia, trying to tell her she was the best big sister I could have ever had when I didn’t have the words. She looked down at me affectionately, as if she understood what I was trying to say. My mind was simply too muddled to find the words, what with all the drama and fighting that had come with our last few encounters. It had really worn me out.
“Lulu, we’re here. Wake up, dear.”
I didn’t even realize I’d fallen asleep. I felt embarrassed, falling asleep on my sister like that, but it didn’t seem to have bothered her. She stepped out of the carriage first, and I followed closely behind.
As we were approaching the castle, Celestia stopped and turned to me. “Thank you, little sister,” she managed to say, even though it seemed a little hard for her.
This confused me. I was the one who’d been wrong. “For what?” I couldn’t help but ask.
She smiled now. “You tried to talk me into doing the right thing on that day one thousand years ago. And you pretended to want to bring eternal night, just to match the story I’d told and keep my new reputation clean. Thank you.”
I blushed now. “Sisters are supposed to look out for each other,” I said simply. “And you’re the only one I have.”
Her smile grew even bigger, her gaze even fonder. “Same to you.”
And with that, we turned and continued walking into the castle. I was stunned at what I saw inside. The whole place looked, for the most part, unchanged. I know I had drifted in here just earlier that same day, but when I did, I hadn’t been paying attention to any details—all I was looking for was the Shadowbolts. Now, all I could see a difference in was that there was one throne instead of two and the rug and tapestries had been replaced because the ones that had been there when I co-reigned had undoubtedly grown faded and old.
“Follow me,” Celestia instructed me, interrupting my thoughts.
I began to follow her down the familiar corridor that led to several places, but I was already certain of which one we were going to. I listened to the staccato taps of out hooves against the marble floors, still marveling at how the castle had seemed, for the most part, suspended in time. I wondered if Celestia had kept it this way because she wanted to, or because she wanted me to feel welcomed when I returned.
It turned out that we were heading exactly where I expected—my room. Looking inside, I saw everything exactly the way I had left it. Even the curtains were drawn shut, just as I had left them in the daytime. One thing puzzled me though.
“It looks…wonderful,” I told Celly, “but who kept it clean all this time?”
“I did,” she told me, a mournful touch shadowing the light in her eyes. “I came in here every day for a thousand years, looking to see if you’d come back, and every week, I’d clean it up for you, so when you finally came home, you’d feel welcome. Sometimes,” she began to sob, “sometimes I thought I could still hear your voice…when I came in here…”
“Oh, Celly,” I sighed, placing a hoof on her shoulder to comfort her, “you don’t have to be sad anymore. I’m here now.”
Using a foreleg to wipe the tears from her face, she stopped crying and looked at me, as if trying to discern if I was really before her or if her mind was playing a sick game. She seemed to decide it was me with a smile, murmuring softly, “Yes…you’re here.”
We sat there for a moment, just smiling and glad to be back in each other’s presence. She rose suddenly, heading out the door. “I’ll leave you to get settled,” she called over her shoulder.
I couldn’t help but laugh. She said that as if I had bags to unpack or some such mess. I climbed onto my bed, getting comfortable underneath the covers and rolling onto my back, looking at the canopy above me that had been dyed to look like the night sky. I stared at the faux stars, thinking only of the alicorns. If not for them, I wouldn’t be home. “Thank you,” I said, hoping they would hear.
Then it struck me. The alicorns! I promised them I would overthrow Celestia! But…would they still want me to overthrow her if she had become a good leader? Probably not. Sending her to the sun would most likely be enough punishment for their tastes. After all, the sun was not only lonely—it was hot. She had probably talked to the alicorns too, and maybe even made amends. There was no telling. I was just overwhelmed with joy to be home at last. Letting the feelings of happiness wash over me, I allowed myself to drift off into sleep once more—this time on purpose.
Time at the castle passed slowly, and with each passing day, Celestia surprised me. On some days, it was an impromptu breakfast in bed…other days, it was the execution of a pony who had been declared a “traitor,” or some gossip involving racist and sexist slang among the castle staff. I could see their nervous smiles, hear their uneasy laughs as they tried to fool Celestia. If this was still the case…why were the ponies under her rule so happy? This is exactly what made them want me to overthrow her a thousand years ago! Had everypony really become as corrupt as their leader?
One day, as I was sitting beside her throne on the cushion that would serve as my throne until the new one was built, I turned to her with a question. “When do the castle staff members retire? I’ve seen some fairly old mares working around here.” But never stallions, I wondered, why is that?
“Never, dear Luna,” Celestia enlightened me. “You see, ponies before were unhappy with my rule. I figured that if they were not pleased, I must change something. So I changed their knowledge. If they know nothing of the castle’s secrets, they are content. They do not wish to know, and they live in peace.”
I couldn’t stop myself from what I was about to say. “But this is exactly the kind of thing they’d want to know!” I exclaimed. “This is…corruption!”
“Luna,” Celestia began steadily, “do I need to revoke your army? I do not need a repeat of that incident.”
“No, Celly, you needn’t do that,” I sighed. I’d only had my army for three days. I needed to build up their trust again before I could attempt a stunt like that, anyway.
“Good,” she said in a robotic manner. “I couldn’t bear to lose you again.”
Lose me, I thought, or lose your crown?
Ten months later, my eyes were opened to just how dire the situation was. Before my very eyes, I was forced to watch as an entire Solar Empire troop was sentenced to execution for treason…simply for the majority of them agreeing they’d rather join the Lunar Knights than serve under paranoid Celestia.
No. No more Lunar Knights. A monarchy was no longer what I stood for.
New Lunar Republic. I liked that.
Alarmed, I knew I had to find an excuse to visit Twilight Sparkle and her friends in Ponyville in order to see if maybe I could enlist their support. I knew some new holiday (well, at least new for me, since it hadn’t been established when I was around) called Nightmare Night was just around the corner…three days away, if I was correct. This “Nightmare Night” seemed to be a sort of gathering to protect against Nightmare Moon, which I found rather insulting, but these ponies didn’t know any better. Until Celestia was exposed, if that ever even happened, they would truly think that Nightmare Moon was a bad spirit.
Nevertheless, this Nightmare Night would be the perfect time to visit Twilight Sparkle. Most celebrations these days were held in Ponyville. All I had to do was wait for three more days…and hope those poor soldiers survived long enough that one day, I could formally welcome them into the New Lunar Republic.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Celestia’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “I’m going to visit Ponyville for Nightmare Night,” I told her honestly. This would be my first time going out of the castle since returning to Equestria.
“Good, good,” she nodded, “but there are some things you should know first.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“I’ve kind of…told ponies that you still use the traditional royal Canterlot voice…” she stated with embarrassment.
I was floored. “You did WHAT now?” When she didn’t respond, I continued. “You mean that silly old joke we made up when we were fillies? That was never official! It was too silly to be official!”
“I got carried away, Lulu,” she apologized. Changing the subject, she added, “And it wouldn’t kill you to look like an alicorn instead of a simple pony.”
“What’s the matter with being this height and having actual hair?” I muttered. “I like it.”
“I know,” Celestia said. “But if you just used a little magic, you’d be as tall as me and your mane would flow like mine. Your subjects would recognize you as a princess.”
Sighing, I did as she said, letting the magic flow through me. It stretched my limbs and my body all at once, lastly transforming my mane so that it resembled the night sky. “Is this better?” I grumbled.
“Much,” she chimed, now grinning. “Go have fun.”
And with that, I left on my carriage for Ponyville.