In The Dreams of The Sun
“Princess, it is nearly time.”
“Thank you Star Swirl. I will be ready in just a few moments.”
Celestia, the Goddess of the Sun sat upon her throne, staring longingly at the empty chair beside her. It had only been a few days since she was forced into banishing her sister, Luna, to the moon. Since that day, her responsibilities had been doubled. Not only did she have to watch over her ponies and raise the sun each day, now she was burdened with the task of having to bring forth her sister’s prison night after night.
“Oh Luna, why? Why did you do this? Why did you have to turn on me?” The white alicorn thought aloud. “No,” she said suddenly, “A better question is how did I not foresee this? How could I have been so blind to your pain? To your feeling of rejection and solitude?”
As Celestia continued to lament over her sister’s forced exile, Star Swirl reappeared before the grieving empress.
“Your Highness, Its time to raise the moon.” The unicorn said.
“So it is.” The alicorn responded solemnly. As she rose from her seat, she spoke again. “Star Swirl, may I ask you a question?”
The wizard, who was about to take his leave stopped, looked at his ruler, and replied softly.
“Anything, Your Majesty.”
“As my most trusted adviser, you know I value your opinion over all others.” She began.
“Of course, and it has been an honor to be held in such high regard Princess.”
“Then tell me my friend, did I do the right thing?” Celestia asked, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. “Was I right to banish Luna?”
“Your Majesty, you did what you thought was best for the ponies of Equestria. If the land was to remain in an endless night, the plants would wilt and die. Without plants with which to cook and eat, the ponies of Equestria would starve. Not to mention the land would freeze over without the warmth of your Sun. You did what you needed to do to protect your kingdom.”
“I suppose you are correct my friend. I did what I had to do, to protect my subjects” She replied, the tears now slowly flowing down her face.
So there upon the balcony of the throne room, overlooking Canterlot, the Goddess put the sun to rest and brought forth the moon, her sisters prison. And as she gazed upon what was her sister's cell, the tears began to fall like a waterfall rushing over rugged cliffs.
“Here’s to the end of another glorious day Princess.” Remarked Star Swirl, oblivious to the tears streaming down Celestia’s face.
“Indeed my old friend.” said the alicorn, still watching the moon rise into the night sky. “Please inform everypony that they are free to turn in for the night. Tomorrow is going to be another long day.”
“As you wish your Highness.”
With that Star Swirl then vanished into a flash of light, leaving Celestia to herself and her thoughts. She there on the balcony remained for a few more moments, before she turned and headed to her bedchamber.
“Another day ends only to bring about another night” Sobbed the alicorn as she walked into her room. Without a second thought, she climbed into her bed, where she tiredly closed her eyes. Before drifting off to sleep, she muttered, “Oh Luna, how I wish I could see you again.” and with that was whisked away into her dreams.
“Sister, oh sister!” A mysterious voice called out from beyond Celestia’s shut eyes. “Sister, please open your eyes?”
As if unable to ignore the request, the Princess’ eyes shot open. She was still lying on her bed, but everything beyond its four posters was not her bedchamber. Instead there was only blackness with the exception of millions of small, shimmering lights fading in and out.
“Where am I?” Celestia muttered.
“What do you mean sister? Do you not recognize the night sky?”
Celestia recognized the voice the second time it had spoken.
“Luna? Where are you? How are you speaking to me?” The Sun Goddess questioned feverishly. “And a better question is, how did i come to be among the stars?”
Suddenly a flash of light went off from behind Celestia. She turned her head and saw a sight she never thought she’d see again. For standing beside her was a pony whose coat was as blue as the night sky, but it was no ordinary pony. It was an alicorn. It was Luna! As she strode past the awe struck leader, she staggered and her appearance flickered for a split second. But that brief moment was all Celestia needed to recognize the pony she had come to know and fear.
“Tell me little sister, are you really Luna, or are you Nightmare Moon?”
“In truth,” She began “I am neither.”
“How can that be? I clearly see that now you are my sister, but a second ago Nightmare Moon stood in your place. How can you be both, but neither at the same time?”
“By being nothing more than an astral projection. Though do not be mistaken sister. I am Luna, but the Nightmare continues to try and overtake me, in body and mind. So, by using the last of my powers, I have come to you seeking your help.”
“Luna, where are we?”
“In your dreams of course.” Luna stated as a matter of factly.
“How can you be in my dreams? I was unaware of this power.”
“It is true i have kept this a secret, but that is of very little importance. By the time we conclude, I will be either completely powerless or under the control of the Nightmare.” With that her appearance altered once again, showing a glimpse of the evil that was Nightmare Moon. Thankfully it was only for another second, shifting once again, showing Luna. “Please sister, I need you now more than ever.”
“What is it you need? Tell me and it shall be done!” The Princess shouted frantically, finally rising to her hooves and leaping off her bed, which disappeared the moment she left it. She landed and looked at her sister’s projection. “Name it and I’ll see that it gets done.”
“You must use the Elements of Harmony to bring me home.” The young alicorn stated, “Please, bring me home.”
Upon hearing her sister’s request, Celestia lowered her head as tears once again began to well up behind her eyes. Very softly, she uttered just two words.
“I can't”
“What did you say sister? I need you to bring me home, it is the only way to save me.”
“I can’t” Celestia repeated a little louder, now unable to hold back her tears. “Luna, I’m sorry. But i can’t”
Fury blazed in Luna’s previously gentle eyes.
“What do you mean ‘I can’t’? You are Celestia, are you not? Raiser of the Sun. Ruler of all Equestria! Bearer of the Elements of Harmony! Save me! Bring me home!”
“Luna please, listen to me! I can’t end your exile! The Elements no longer resonate with me.”
Suddenly luna’s eyes softened once more.
“Sister I'm so sorry for everything I've done. I am sorry for rebelling. I am sorry for trying to overthrow you. I am sorry for everything.” Tears now beginning to flow down Luna’s face as well. “Please sister, I don’t want to become Nightmare Moon again. PLEASE JUST BRING ME HOME!”
Celestia raised her head once more meeting the gaze of her equally wet faced sibling.
“Luna” She began grimly “When I banished you, I broke the Harmony between night and day. The Elements no longer work for me. There is nothing I can do to bring you home.” Then the white alicorn paused for a second, when a sudden thought came to her. She moved closer to her sister, putting her mouth to her ear she said “Not yet at least”.
“What do you mean sister?” Luna asked backing away from her elder sibling.
Then, without warning, Celestia spread her wings and rose into the air among the star filled sky. Her horn and eyes beginning to glow a brilliant, bright gold.
“Luna” She began “At the dawn of the longest day of the thousandth year of your exile, the stars will lay out a path for you to aid in your escape from the prison I made for you. But should that monster Nightmare Moon return instead of the pony I see before me, I will have a plan in motion to destroy the beast and free you once and for all. Be strong Luna, one way or another, I will have you by my side once more.”
With that the light emanating from the Goddess of the Sun engulfed the night around her. As Luna’s image faded, she uttered a few final words.
“Thank you Tia,” Luna whispered, as her form was overtaken by the growing light. “I love you”
“Princess, it is time to raise the sun.” A familiar voice called out. “Princess, are you awake?”
Celestia slowly opened her eyes. Somehow she had moved from her bed to the floor. As her senses slowly began to sharpen, she recognized the voice to be Star Swirl’s. As she rose to her feet, she called out to her adviser.
“Yes my friend, I am, and I will be ready in a moment. Please, make sure all is as it should be.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.” Star Swirl responded, before vanishing from behind the door with a quiet *pop*.
Celestia walked up to a mirror that hung upon the wall of her quarters next to a window. As she examined her reflection, she could not help but look out onto her sleeping kingdom and sighed. “Once again it is time to put to rest my sisters prison, just to raise the sun.”
As she approached the door to her chamber, she looked back at her bed, still curious as to how she came to awaken on the floor.
“Perhaps I will ask Star Swirl about it later.” She said to herself as she opened the door and entered the hall.
Moments later, she walked into the throne room, where she was met with the usual course of events. She would walk in, trumpets would flourish, her Royal Guard would bow as she walked past. She would walk up to the balcony behind her throne and gaze up at her sister’s prison. She would put the moon to rest as she brought the sun up over the horizon. Next she would sit and be bombarded by page after page of paperwork. It was these events that would make her miss Luna more and more with each passing hour, minute, and second. She wished there was someway she could bring her sister home. And it was with that thought that brought forth the memory of the previous night.
“Star Swirl!” She shouted upon regaining access to her repressed memory, startling the two guards who were posted on each side of the throne in the process.
With a bright flash, the white bearded unicorn appeared before the alicorn. He bowed deeply, looked up at Celestia and said, “Yes Your Majesty?”
Before she addressed her adviser, she rose from her seat, stepped forward, turned towards her guards, and said, “Can you two leave for a few moments? I would like a minute of privacy to talk with my friend.”
“As you wish Princess.” They said in unison before marching side by side out of the room.
“Tell me,” Celestia started, “Is it possible to cast spells in one’s sleep?”
“I am not sure Princess.” Star Swirl replied, confused as to why he was being asked such a question. “Why is it you ask?”
“Because I spoke to Luna last night and -”
Before she could finish, the unicorn cut her off.
“You spoke to Princess Luna? How is that possible? She is locked within the moon, is she not?”
“It is true that she is still in exile, but please my friend, let me finish.”
“Of course Princess, I apologize. Please, forgive me.” Star Swirl said, bowing deeply again.
“It is alright my friend. I too was shocked when she came to me. But it was not in any physical form. She spoke with me within my dreams.”
“Your dreams?”
“Yes. It appears that Luna had an ability that she hid from us. She is able to enter the dreams of sleeping ponies and comune with them. That is how I was able to speak with her.”
“Amazing.” The wizard said in awe. “So why is it that you are curious as to if it is possible to cast magic in one’s sleep?”
“Because I may have given my sister’s banishment an expiration date.” The alicorn said, as she turned her head and looked out into the sky, where the sun was nearing the hills over the distant town of Ponyville. And for the first time in many months, she smiled.