//------------------------------//
// The Deep Breath Before The Plunge 
// Story: For Retaliation and Judgement 
// by TheChroniclerPrincess 
//------------------------------//

                                                                    Chapter 3: The Deep Breath Before The Plunge


The night came, and still the protests were ringing throughout Equestria. Princess Celestia had found a remote hill in which to find solice and gather her thoughts. "Why did i do such a thing?" she asked herself as if arguing within her own concious mind. Her other half replied. "Because they all deserved to know!" She looked slowly at the moon. "And now they hate me for it." The thoughts kept racing in her mind. She felt a constant state of unrest within her own being. Her memory flashed back to about a few days before the protest. She had told one of her personal guards the story that many did not know the complex details to.

She had told him about what had happened the night that she banished her younger sister to the moon. Unfortunately, the guard could not see the logic or reason behind her decision, and as a result, he told everypony he knew. The fire spread into a massive engulfing blaze that caused an uproar. The ponies of Equestria wondered what else their beloved princess might be keeping from them. They also wanted justice for the imagined slights done to Princess Luna. There was talk amongst ponies that they were planning to imprison her and banish her beyond the Everfree Forest forever. Princess Celestia looked upon the moonlit landscape and thought of her dear sister once more. Tears began to fall to her cheeks as they had done before she had fled the castle. "I deserve it." she thought to herself. "What i did to Luna was inexcusable."

The princess finally cried herself to sleep and began to dream. Out of the foggy nothingness of her mind appeared Princess Luna. "Where have you gone my sister? What troubles you so?" Celestia could see that Luna's eyes too, were flooding with tears. "Come home sister! These ponies know not what they say! Come home and we will explain this to them. Please my sister. I have been separated from you once. It shall not happen again!" Princess Celestia was struck to her very core by the words that her sister had spoken. She lifted her head and smiled a somber smile. "They are right Luna. I was wrong for doing what i did to you. There could have been another way! I-" Luna raised her hoof to silence her elder sister. "I have told you so many times Celestia. So many times that I forgive you. That I love you." Tears were now gushing from Princess Luna's eyes. Her voice was trembling, and she fell upon the floor before her sister. "Please! I am begging you my sister! I don't know what they will do to you! Please stay with me!" 

Princess Celestia truly saw the beauty and majesty of her sister in this one moment. The compassion that Luna had shown her and the love that she was willing to share with her elder sister made Celestia burst into tears. "I am not worthy of a sister like you Luna! I deserve whatever punishment they will give to me, and i will willingly accept it." Princess Celestia saw her sister about to reach out to her through tear ridden eyes, but it was too late. Celestia had decided to wake from her dream. In the last moment of her dream, three very faint and gentle words left her lips. "I love you." she said. "I love you."

The princess awoke and began to raise the sun to start the dawn. She knew what she was going to do. Her magnificent wings spanned and cast a large, beautiful shadow behind her. With a mighty beat of her royal wings, she took to the skies once more. She only had one thought in her mind and one thought only. "I am ready."