A lot was on Sombra’s mind that night as he walked through the castle gardens to his park bench. Kismet’s words kept ringing in his mind: “What you desire most will destroy you.”
He sat down and tried to focus on the starry sky overhead, but it was useless. He just could not focus.
Sombra decided to sort everything out during a nice long trot. He got up and headed towards the moon.
--
Luna’s spirits were high as she trotted down the corridor towards he sister’s chamber. She did not get to spend much time with her big sister, and she cherished every moment that Celestia was with her. Luna had something special planned for tonight, something she had been working on ever since she sent a letter to that unicorn guard that she ran into. Now, it was time for its unveiling, and she wanted Celestia to be the first to see it.
She reached Celestia’s door meticulously carved door, and tapped on it with her hoof.
“Come in.”
Luna walked in. Even in the dim light of the firefly lanterns, the room glowed with color. There was not a speck of paint or stain in this part of the castle. Everything was varnished or lacquered wood. One wall was adorned with an image of their parents, carved into panels of solid cherry, ebony, walnut, and mahogany…the variety of wood in that engraving was staggering. Celestia was at her teak desk as usual, pouring over something.
“You ready to go?” Luna asked.
“Go where.”
“Out. You promised were going to spend time with me, remember.”
“Oh. That.” – Celestia turned around in her chair – “I’m sorry Luna, but there is a meeting I have to prepare for. We are going to have to do it some other night.”
“But you have had this has been scheduled for months!”
“Sorry, I can’t do it. The calendar is on the wall. See when I have another free day.”
Luna walked over to the wall, and with a flash from her horn, summoned her own calendar. She did not need to. A quick look at Celestia’s confirmed her fears.
“The next free day you have is five months away! I don’t want to wait that long!”
“I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do.” Celestia had turned back to her paperwork.
“Why can’t you make time for me?”
Celestia again turned around, slowly, to look directly at Luna. A quizzical look had spread across her face. “I do make time for you.”
“When? We have not had a sister’s night out in several years!”
“You are always welcome to attend these events and meetings with me,” Celestia said softly.
“That is not spending time! You talk with everypony else, and I listen. If I did not know better, I would think you did not love me.”
“I’m glad you do know better.”
“But we never talk. You are always off somewhere or here doing paperwork.”
Celestia sighed, and turned back to her paperwork. “Luna, just because I am doing paperwork does not mean that I am not listening to you. My door is always open for you. I wish I could spend more time with you, but I have to maintain my image in the kingdom. Everpony loves me, and when they stop loving me, the empire will surely collapse. If you paid more attention…”
“Great, here we go again with the attention lecture. Maybe I should try a different tack,” Luna thought.
“Do you like all of the paperwork, events and meetings?” She suddenly asked Celestia.
“Oh, yes. Very much so. I have to…although the paperwork gets old occasionally.”
“Do you like it more then you like me?”
“…”
“You do!” – a tear welled up in Luna’s eye. This is not what she had expected – “I did not know better. You do not love me and you never have!”
“That’s not true!” – Celestia spun around in her chair, fast – “I have a duty to the ponies of Equestria, and I am doing it. A good princess has to put her subjects first.”
“Above family?”
“Unfortunately.”
Luna began to cry. Her sister, her role model, her best friend had just abandoned her. Celestia had thrown her on the ground like the piece of garbage she was.
Through the tears, she heard Celestia say, “Calm yourself, Luna. Stop taking things so seriously.”
“You Diamond Dog!” Luna bellowed. She turned hoof, and galloped out of the room.
Celestia looked after her, shook her head, and went back to her paperwork.