//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Come Little Children // by BlueEyedMelloon //------------------------------// "Come Little Children" By: Blue Eyed Melloon Chapter Eight ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. Luna watched wearily as Canterlot bustled with activity. With the coming of morning, shopkeepers opened their doors and the early birds hurried through the streets intent on specials at the grocers and discounts at restaurants for the senior citizens. Foals were sleepily tottering next to parents on their way to school. A lovely mist had seeped in between the buildings, creating a golden hue in the air that seemed tangible. The night princess yawned heavily. Her nights were spent ferrying supplies back and forth to her colony. Early morning saw her avoiding Celestia’s summons until the morning was far enough gone that her elder sister gave up and let the lunar alicorn sleep. The moon was raised on the run as she flew over other towns in the outlaying countryside. Two months had now passed since her colony was established, and Luna found that choosing only foals had significant downsides. Their tiny bodies were unable to do the work necessary to improve their living conditions, and they could only put forth enough energy to maintain a small garden plot, not enough to keep them fed over the winter. Luna adjusted the spell that had pointed them out to her the first time, and had located adults that she then carried to her colony. These adults were more reluctant than the foals, but soon warmed up to her garden as the younger ones had. They too became her children, and took care of the foals so that Luna did not have to make so many trips out of the castle. She raised a hoof to her mouth to cover a second yawn, and turned from the window, sliding the thick royal blue curtains closed behind her. Sleep was a welcome mistress, and as she glided between her satin sheets, she again thought of her children. They would be sleeping as well, ignoring the day even as the rest of the pony population ignored the night. Celestia pressed the door of her younger sister’s room open with a hoof, and peered into the dark abyss. Luna was fast asleep, smiling in her dreams. The elder sister sighed, and shut the door quietly. She waved a guard over, and whispered “When Princess Luna awakes, we want to be informed. We have business to attend with her.” The guard nodded, and took a post directly adjacent to the door, staring straight ahead with an expression of stern concentration. Celestia nodded in approval, and went to her own chambers. Her council meeting would not start for another hour, giving her time to relax before beginning the duel of politics. But the sun princess could not rest. Not when she had such poisonous thoughts in her heart. She sincerely wanted to exonerate Luna of what she secretly accused her of, but her behavior only added fuel to the fire. And with more abductions from outlying towns, Celestia began to fear the worst for the ponies that disappeared. She collapsed on a velvet couch, sprawling her limbs everywhere which-way in the epitome of un-ladylike behavior and sighed. When the daily duties were done, and twilight was coming across the land, Luna woke from her slumber. She sat up and yawned, stretching her wings out behind her until her back cracked. She rolled out of bed, and opened her door to find a guard walking down the hallway. She crouched down and waited until he had turned a corner before exiting her room and making her way to the kitchen. She had just entered the vast dining room when the doors on the other side where thrown open. Celestia strode her way into the room, and Luna’s heart picked up pace. She hid her nerves behind a mask of indifference, and said “Hello sister. How art thou?” “We are troubled.” Celestia said with no hint of familial love. “Have thou not seen the number of abductions that have scared the citizens? Our kingdom is in a state of panic.” She brought forth a stack of newspapers and placed them at Luna’s feet. Each headline spoke of another pony going missing, some with pictures. Luna avoided the newspapers as if they carried a disease, and said “We have not heard of this. But then, we hardly hear of things that go on in the daytime.” Because thy daytime is so precious to everypony. “Strange. We thought that maybe dream-walking had brought about evidence we have not found.” Celestia said slyly, shutting the doors behind her with subtle magic. Luna blinked a couple of times. “No sister, we have not seen anything. But then, we have not dream-walked in some time.” “And why is that?” “We have been tired. This is a difficult time within the kingdom. We have been trying to help the residents back onto their hooves.” “Surely not by doing manual labor.” Celestia countered, her voice growing cold. “Pray tell us how thine help had been asked for? What have thou been doing all this time when away from the castle?” She noticed our disappearances. She does not approve? But why? “And why can we not go off on our own?” Luna said, full of false bravado. She took a couple of steps away from Celestia and toward one of the many stained glass windows. She gazed at it as if her sister’s questions were not of concern. “Are we not a Princess as well, despite our subjects’ aversion to our gift?” Now you’ve gone and said it. “Aversion?” Celestia said with confusion, tilting her head to one side. “What is thou talking about? Our subjects love the night as much as the day.” “Liar!” Luna shouted suddenly, twisting to face her sister. The voice inside expanded just a bit, a form that lifted its head within her soul as if to sniff for opportunity. Soon. Celestia was taken aback by the sudden outburst, and lost her words. Luna used this as an opportunity to keep talking. “The citizens do not appreciate us the way that they appreciate thou. Days are spent outside, whilst our nights are ignored! The stars are left alone to twinkle at no one, the darkness is forsaken by foals who are afraid! No one loves the night the way that we do until now!” She finished her tirade with another shout, and stood in front of Celestia, sides heaving and eyes wild. Celestia’s eyes were soft and sad. “So it is true then. Our own sister is behind the foal-nappings.” It was not a question, but a statement. Her pink mane drooped as if the wind was released from it. The betrayal Celestia felt burned her heart. Luna said nothing, only stared at her sister as her eyes shrunk down to pinpricks. Celestia knew. She figured it out. “Sister, thou must understand…” “No, Luna, it is not us who must understand. It is thou. This crime cannot go unpunished. Thy orders are to wait in thine room until we can come up with a judgment.” Celestia’s eyes were narrowed and cruel. “Our heart is betrayed, and by our sister no less! Go Luna, we wish not to see thy face. Thou is not a Princess that this kingdom needs.” She turned away to prevent the tears from falling. Now was not the time to cry. Luna stared at her sister in disbelief. How could she say such things? They were sisters! And Luna was only doing what was best for her colony, her children. Celestia was treating her like a child. “This is not right Celestia! We are a Princess as well! We deserve to make decisions!” “We said go!” Celestia shouted, shutting her eyes tightly. Luna stopped abruptly, mouth hanging open. Her eyes watered, and narrowed. “Fine. But this is not the end sister. Not. At. All.” Luna stomped away, throwing the doors open and slamming them shut hard enough to crack the wood. Celestia flinched as the wood splintered, then opened her own pair of doors and went silently to her room. Luna ran to her room, practically blasting the door open. “How can Celestia do this!” she screamed to the air, thrashing about. She kicked the nightstand, and stood huffing in the middle of her room. Celestia is wrong. The voice had finally spoken up. It uncoiled, silky smooth, and began to speak. Dear Luna, thy sister is wrong. We are just as capable of making decisions. She will not give us a chance. How unfair. Luna paused in her rampage, ears perked. The voice was making sense. “We ARE capable of ruling, perhaps better than our dear sister.” She said, voice dripping malice. “Perhaps it is Celestia who is unfit to rule the kingdom.” Indeed. the voice cooed, feeling its power increasing. Maybe it is us who should rule. Take the throne maybe? Luna shuddered, a cold sweat breaking out. “But we can’t. We are not more powerful than our elder sister. How would we accomplish this?” Anything can be accomplished if one tries hard enough. the voice insisted, pressing its luck. Then we can be the rightful leader. We can teach the kingdom of the beauty nightfall brings. We can show them how foolish they have been for ignoring our lovely darkness. Luna looked at her door, seeking answers in the knotted wood. Show them…she could show them all their errors… The voice retreated for a moment, satisfied with the thoughts implanted in the princess’s head. The time had come.