//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: More Than A Dream // by nanashi_jones //------------------------------// After the humans teleported, there had been a soft moment where everypony stood in appreciation of who had just left. Then, Twilight nodded to her princesses. With a brief bow, she and her friends took their leave, speaking softly amongst them about how much they would miss their human companions and extolling their virtues. Once they’d left, Cadance requested leave to relieve her husband, who’d been too overwhelmed with official duties and paperwork to actually enjoy the recent festivities. Celestia and Luna gave their permission and returned to their own charges. Later that evening, after Luna had raised the moon and Celestia was getting close to her royal bedtime, the sisters of Day and Night sat out on the Royal Balcony, sipping tea and enjoying Luna’s stars. She was especially proud of the arrangement tonight. “Do you think it wise, my sister?” Luna asked. As talk had been nothing inconsequential for some time, Celestia divined fairly quick what Luna’s focus was. “What harm could come in spreading Harmony to a new land, dear Luna?” “Well put.” She sipped her tea, contemplative. “If only they hadn’t come from such a magicless world, we might more easily create a bridge to allow them and their kind further access to our own.” Celestia added more golden honey to her tea, stirring it in. “I do not think the world they come from is magicless, my dear sister. It is merely a land without our magic. Humans have their own, all the same, and now we’ve just sent a little of ours to let it mix. A diplomatic offering, if you will. If it doesn’t work out, I’m sure it will find its own way back,” she said, licking the spoon. “You speak as if you know this world well...” Luna said, eyebrows raising in suspicion. “I thought the outer realms were of my vigil.” “Now sister,” Celestia said with a flourish of the utensil. “You know I sometimes keep my own council. It wouldn’t do for you to know all my secrets.” Luna snorted, a crooked smile on her face. “Now. Come Lulu. It has been too long and though we have celebrated, we haven’t relaxed.” Luna’s eyes narrowed in delighted mischief. “You’re going down, Tia. I’ve been practicing.” Celestia met Luna’s expression with a challenging, sisterly grin. “Until you can guard your cumulus better, Lulu,” Celestia said in mock haughtiness. “I will always be the superior Battleclouds player.” “Oh we’ll see about that!” Luna challenged, finishing off her tea in a quick gulp. She trotted quickly inside, going directly for the Royal Gaming Suite. Celestia laughed softly and raised the last of her tea to her lips as she gazed to the heavens. She marked a star, one she had marked some time ago and grinned. “You were right, Sitara, as usual. Perhaps it is time Equestria came out of the shadows.” She drained her cup. “Besides,” she went on, treating the star as attentive. “There is more than one way to cast a spell. While your world is spoken for, I think I’ll try a different route for another. It’s very similar, and I stumbled on it entirely by accident.” Rising, she worked the kinks out of her legs. She was getting old. Yet, she had work to do. So much going on. “But we’ll just have to see, won’t we?” Celestia smiled into the night as if listening to an answer before going inside. She answered delightedly to Luna’s beckoning calls of challenge and gameplay to commence, picking up her pace to go and unwind with her sister before bed. Back in the night sky, the star Celestia had given to Aurora’s grandmother, Sitara Persaud, many years ago twinkled in response- merry, alive and bright.